Even when you have help raising your kids, it can still be challenging to find enough money and time for your lifestyle. Finding a job that offers some degree of flexibility can help you continue to care for your kids while bringing in more income.
Getting a Relevant Degree
Getting a degree can make your skills a lot more marketable to a potential employer. It’s a good idea to spend some time researching different career paths that can meet your goals of raising your family. If you feel remote work might suit you best, you wouldn’t want to go into nursing. On the other hand, if you want to dedicate just a couple of days per week to work and have the rest of the time off, nursing could be a good fit.
Regardless of the area you choose, you might want to look into getting your degree, especially if you are making a career change. College can be expensive, so consider taking out a student loan to help cover part or all of the cost. Having Earnest private student loans available can make it easier to get your degree while taking care of your family.
Finding Assistance
Don’t feel like you have to do everything all alone. There are others who can help you out as you are job searching. Try to help friends, neighbours, parents, and others so you will have someone to offer to help you in return. Doing so can help ensure you are available to interview for jobs. This is one of the advantages of a growth mindset, you can see the bigger picture and what it will take to get yourself there, while also realizing it is a process.
Once you land a job, having this support network will ensure you have a backup in case you have to go to work and your child needs care. Even if you are raising kids with your significant other, it’s a good idea to have this support network. If possible, look for a mentor who has been in your shoes. They can offer advice and help you figure out what you are looking for in your career.
Looking for a Company That Meets Your Needs
Many things might be important to you as a parent, such as good benefits, childcare assistance, or the ability to work remotely. Think about a few of the most important ones and look for companies that offer these benefits. When searching for a position, look at reviews of each company before you decide to spend time applying and interviewing.
As early in the application process as possible, try to confirm things like time commitments and what the schedule would look like. If it is not a remote job, you will also want to think about your commute time and the impact it could have on your schedule. Look over company reviews as well, especially if you have been offered a position there. Past or current employees might have mentioned if the company culture is supportive of parents. If there are flexible hours or you can work from home part of the time, you might be able to find it out with a simple internet search.
A wedding proposal has become as big of a deal as the wedding itself. Some people still love the intimate setting while others love the idea of an elaborate event.
No matter your style, we’re here to help. Here are several tips for planning the perfect surprise wedding proposal.
1. First Things First: The Engagement Ring
While planning how to pop the question might be tough, it’s also difficult to choose the perfect engagement ring. There are endless cuts, bands, and styles to choose from. But learning about certain qualities and various styles will help you narrow things down.
For instance, you don’t want to buy an oval diamond engagement ring because while they may elongate the fingers, every single one of them has what’s called a “bow-tie.” Due to the cut, the way the diamond reflects light will show a dark bow-tie shape directly in the middle.
Start by narrowing down what you don’t want in a ring rather than trying to start thinking about what you do. It’ll be easier when trimming down your choices.
2. Talk To Your Partner’s Family
This might seem rather traditional, but it’s an important step to take, especially if your partner is close with their family. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re asking for permission. Your partner isn’t property, after all.
But it does show that you honor the relationship they have with their family. It’s also a way to ask them if they want to be involved in any way, strengthening the relationship you have with them.
3. Be On The Same Page
We’d like to think that if you’re reading about proposals, you and your partner are on the same page about marriage. But you’d be surprised at how many people don’t have the discussion beforehand.
Make sure to talk about your future before jumping into anything. Communication is key to a successful marriage but if you’re not talking about marriage you might want to consider waiting until you do.
4. Cater To Their Wants
Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the proposal and what we think is the most fun. If you’re the one proposing, you will want to think about what type of proposal your partner would want.
There’s the typical grand gesture that has friends and family around or big flash mobs. But you also have the more intimate setting where it’s just the two of you at your favorite place.
Think about what they want most. Do they love hiking? Maybe a mountain top private proposal would be best. Are they a lover of the finer things in life? Take them out to a fancy dinner and bring on the mariachi band.
5. Hire a Photographer or Videographer
There has been a massive trend to document the big proposal. It’s no wonder, as it’s one of the most important memories the two of you will share together.
You may consider hiring A-Wing Visuals, a professional photography and videography team, to capture the moment as a surprise.
If you can’t afford to hire someone, ask one of your friends to use their cell phone. The quality can easily be just as good and you’ll save quite a bit of money.
6. Be Prepared With Your Words
You’re down on one knee and you’re ready to ask your partner the question. However, is that all you want to say? Take some time beforehand to think about what you want to say.
Write things out if you feel like you might get nervous with pre-proposal jitters. It doesn’t have to be a long speech, but it should be something heartfelt that is more than just saying, “Will you marry me?”
7. Celebrate Alone Before You Celebrate With Friends
You might be planning to have an engagement party to celebrate this monumental moment with friends and family. But before you get everyone else involved in your life, it might be worth taking a day to celebrate with just the two of you.
Soak in the moment of being engaged. Before you know it, you’ll have people helping you with endless wedding plans which could take away from the excitement you both get to intimately share together.
Summary
Planning the perfect marriage proposal might take some time. For some, it’s a spontaneous question they feel is right in their heart to ask. For others, it requires much more planning. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you’re thinking about your partner first.
Have you talked to them to make sure you’re on the same page about marriage? Do they want to have their family involved? Do you know what style of engagement ring they’d want?
When in doubt, get a little help from a close friend. More than likely they’ve talked about what they may want for their future engagement.
Are you struggling to lose weight? Are you unhappy with your body shape and size? If so, you may be considering surgery as a way to get the body you want. Surgery can be an effective way to remove unwanted fat, but it is essential to choose the right procedure. This blog post will discuss six of the most popular surgical procedures for weight loss. By knowing these procedures, you can make an informed decision about which one is right for you. Let’s get to the list.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a popular cosmetic procedure performed in a surgical center that can remove unwanted fat from many body areas, including the abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks, arms, and neck. As stated by these VIDA’s board-certified plastic surgeons, the surgery is very effective and involves making small incisions in the skin while under general anesthesia. A thin tube called a cannula is then inserted through the incisions and used to suction out the unwanted fat.
Liposuction is an effective process since it can be very precise in targeting specific areas of fat. The procedure is also relatively quick and takes about one to two hours to complete. Recovery time is usually short, with most people able to return to their normal activities within a few days.
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that can remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen. It can also tighten the abdominal muscles to create a flatter, more toned stomach. This surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia and takes about two to five hours to complete.
Like liposuction, a tummy tuck is an effective way to remove unwanted fat and create a more toned appearance. The procedure is also relatively quick, with most people able to return home the same day as their surgery. Recovery time is typically one to two weeks, during which you may experience some pain and swelling.
CoolSculpting
Coolsculpting is a new, non-invasive fat reduction treatment that uses cooling to destroy fat cells. The treatment involves placing a special device on the skin that delivers cold energy to the underlying fat tissue. This process damages the fat cells, causing them to break down and be eliminated by the body.
Coolsculpting is a quick and easy way to reduce fat, with most treatments taking less than an hour. No anesthesia or recovery time is required, making it a convenient option for busy people. The results of Coolsculpting are not as dramatic as those of liposuction or a tummy tuck, but the procedure is much less invasive and carries far fewer risks.
Butt Lift
A butt lift, also known as gluteal augmentation, is a surgical procedure that can enhance the shape and size of your buttocks. The surgery involves placing implants in the buttocks to add volume and create a more rounded, lifted appearance. Butt lifts are often performed with other procedures such as liposuction or a tummy tuck.
Butt lifts are a very effective way to improve the appearance of your rear end. The results are usually long-lasting, and there is minimal recovery time required. Most people can return to their normal activities within a week or two. However, it is essential to note that butt lifts carry a higher risk of complications than other procedures, so it is essential to choose an experienced surgeon.
Thigh Lift
A thigh lift is a surgical procedure that can remove excess skin and fat from the thighs. It can also tighten the underlying muscles to create a firmer, more toned appearance. This surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia and takes about two to five hours to complete.
Like other body contouring procedures, a thigh lift can be very effective in improving the appearance of your thighs. The results are usually long-lasting, although you may need additional surgery to maintain your results. Also, it is essential to maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly to prevent the re-accumulation of fat in your thighs.
Upper Arm Lift
An upper arm lift, also known as Brachioplasty, is a surgical procedure that can remove excess skin and fat from the upper arms. It can also tighten the underlying muscles to create a firmer, more toned appearance. This surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia and takes about two to five hours to complete.
Upper arm lifts are a very effective way to improve the appearance of your arms. The results are usually long-lasting, although you may need to have additional surgery to remove more skin or fat if your weight fluctuates. Also, the incisions made during this surgery will be visible, so it’s important to discuss your expectations with your surgeon before having the procedure.
Many different surgical procedures can help you get rid of unwanted body fat. It’s essential to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options and find the best procedure. Remember, these procedures should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a proper diet and exercise routine. So, if you’re ready to make a change, be sure to talk to a plastic surgeon today.
Without even meaning to, many vape enthusiasts regularly draw the ire of friends, family members and assorted strangers. As such, it’s important to remember that while you may view certain behaviors as routine, others are liable to regard them with annoyance. So, if you could use a refresher in vaping etiquette – or are unfamiliar with the concept of vaping etiquette – there’s no time like the present to start brushing up. In the interest of avoiding vape-related conflict, take care to be mindful of the following behaviors.
Blowing Vapor Clouds in People’s Faces
Under no circumstances should you blow vapor clouds in the direction of other people’s faces. Whether the individuals in question enjoy vaping or revile it, blowing vape clouds in their faces is both rude and unsanitary. Furthermore, with COVID-19 continuing to present an active threat, blowing aerosols into people’s faces isn’t exactly the most health-conscious thing to do.
Additionally, depending on the person, getting a face full of your vape clouds may prompt them to become verbally irate – if not physically aggressive. Unsurprisingly, most of the people you encounter aren’t going to be amenable to having vapor clouds blown in their faces. So, the next time you find yourself vaping in a group setting, make sure to be extra-mindful of where you’re blowing your clouds.
Poor Vape Maintenance
A fair amount of vapor comes out of the typical vape pen. So, when vaping in the presence of others, you should be aware that those around you are likely to see and smell your vapor. Additionally, if your vaping tools are poorly maintained, vapor leakage and other issues that make your actions stand out are liable to occur. You can nip many of these problems in the bud by making vape maintenance a priority and replacing certain tools on a consistent basis.
Presuming Permission
Regardless of how intimately you know someone, you should never assume that they won’t take issue with your vaping. For example, if you’re visiting someone’s home for the first time, pulling out your vape pen without asking permission is liable to make things awkward and uncomfortable. Even if the person in question has no problem with vaping in general, they may not be okay with you doing it in their personal space.
So, before vaping in front of someone – especially someone you don’t know very well – take care to ask for permission. Requesting permission illustrates consideration for the feelings of others and is likely to endear you to friends, family members and casual acquaintances alike. On the flipside, simply presuming permission may get you labeled as rude and inconsiderate and potentially place a strain on important relationships.
For best results, you should always ask permission before vaping in front of others – and certainly before vaping in the homes of others. In addition, even if someone gives you permission once, this shouldn’t be taken as an indefinite greenlight to vape in front of them whenever you have the urge.
Vaping in Restricted Areas
Since vaping is restricted in most public places, attempting to vape in these areas is practically asking for trouble. While some businesses prominently display their respective vaping policies, others aren’t as forthcoming. However, even if you’re visiting a place that falls into the latter category, assuming that you can pull out your vape pen and have a puff is liable to land you in hot water.
By extension, vaping in areas where you know doing so is off-limits is immature, inconsiderate and conducive to public embarrassment. Even if you attempt to hide what you’re doing – a process known as “stealth vaping” – there’s virtually no chance of your actions going unnoticed. Not only will getting caught prove humiliating to you personally, it will also serve to embarrass anyone who happens to be with you at the time.
Vaping may be one of your absolute favorite things, but this doesn’t mean that the people in your life are equally keen on it. Additionally, assuming that family members, friends and assorted acquaintances will never take issue with your vaping habits is pure folly. Even some of the most seasoned vapers regularly make an assortment of social faux pas, so there’s absolutely no shame in admitting that you need a refresher in vape etiquette. With this in mind, make a point of avoiding the behaviors discussed above.
Many people think that just because they are good and honest, everyone is like them. Sadly, there are people who don’t have goodness in their hearts. The world is full of liars and manipulators. People who use others to get what they want. And oftentimes, these people are narcissistic sociopaths.
Narcissistic Sociopath: Definition And Meaning
A narcissistic sociopath is a person who can be very dangerous due to their personality traits. This is a person who has both NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) and APD (Antisocial Personality Disorder). They deliver their confidence and satisfaction from hurting, using, deceiving, and abusing other people to achieve their goals and satisfy their selfish needs. They do this by using their unquestionable charm and charisma to gain other people’s trust so that they can easily manipulate them.
However, even though narcissistic sociopaths display many toxic behaviors, they are not easy to identify because we tend to look for the positive traits in people and ignore the red flags, especially if the person we are connecting to is mesmerizing us and clouding our vision to see things as they really are.
Lack of empathy, self-admiration, and a sense of grandiosity combined with cold callousness and pure hatred for other people equals a narcissistic sociopath.
Narcissistic Sociopath: Diagnosis
As mentioned above, in order to diagnose someone as a narcissistic sociopath, that person needs to have both narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and antisocial personality disorder (APD).
NPD is characterized by having a grandiose sense of self-worth, preoccupation with power, status, and success, excessive need for admiration and adoration, a sense of entitlement, lack of compassion and empathy, envy, and displaying arrogant behaviors.
People diagnosed with NPD have difficulty dealing with change, stress, and criticism. They often become angry and impatient if something doesn’t go their way. They don’t have much control over their emotions and their behavior and therefore, they are bad partners and their relationships are short-lived.
APD, on the other hand, is characterized by impulsive behavior, lack of plans for the future, not following social norms and rules, irritability and aggressiveness that may result in physical attacks, engaging in deceitful behavior, lying, cheating, manipulating, reckless nature, total disregard for the lives of other people, chronic irresponsibility that leads to job loss, difficulty with managing finances, and lack of remorse for hurting others.
What causes narcissistic sociopathy remains unknown. However, scientists believe that parenting styles such as being neglectful or overprotective may play are role in it. Also, neurobiology and genetics have an impact on the development of NPD.
10 Signs That Show Someone Is A Narcissistic Sociopath
A sociopathic narcissist is callous and cold to others while at the same time seeking attention and admiration from them because they think they are entitled to it. They can openly hate people and think they can exploit them in any way they see fit in order to succeed in life.
Narcissists, on the other hand, only see other people in terms of how good they can make them feel. So, when you put these together, you get a person who is hungry for power and control and who would do anything to get what they want. This person will use other people’s love for them as a tool to manipulate them without having any sense of guilt and remorse for their hurtful behavior.
They see other people as their pawns. They don’t see them as human beings with emotions. Everything in their life is a game and they will stop at nothing in order to win.
Here are 10 other signs that you are dealing with a narcissistic sociopath.
1. They are obsessed with maintaining control and power.
Narcissistic sociopaths are power-hungry and control freaks. They want everyone to obey them and that’s why they often aim to maintain a high position in society. Moreover, their obsession with power and control makes them unable to follow and obey any other authorities, laws, rules, and policies made by society.
2. Their sense of reality is deluded.
Narcissistic sociopaths have a distorted view of the world. They don’t see things the way normal people do. In their world, they feel entitled to do whatever they please and other people must follow them. They don’t care who gets hurt in the process of them getting what they want.
3. They don’t have any morals.
Narcissistic sociopaths don’t have moral boundaries. They don’t have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. So, they will cross any line and obstacle to fulfilling their desires. And when they do something illegal and harmful, they won’t have any guilt feelings and remorse.
4. They use other people as pawns.
Narcissistic sociopaths exploit, use, manipulate, and take advantage of other people. They do this in all their relationships from friends and colleagues to family and romantic ones. They seek empathetic people who they can easily manipulate and control through shame, fear and guilt, and they will hold on to that person as long as they are useful to the narcissist.
5. They disregard people without a second thought.
Narcissistic sociopaths are known to have a huge pile of people who they have disregarded. They throw away people who are no longer beneficial to them.
6. Their range of emotions is limited.
Narcissistic sociopaths don’t feel affection and love like normal people do. They are also unable to be vulnerable and experience feelings of sadness, shame, or guilt. The only strong emotion that a narcissistic sociopath can feel is anger and they will rage every time they are offended in some way or something is not given to them that they think they deserve.
7. They feed off of drama.
Narcissistic sociopaths are people who satisfy their hunger with drama. It’s something about seeing other people in pain that gives them pleasure. This attraction to negativity is a sure sign of a mentally disturbed person who is a narcissistic sociopath.
8. They become hostile when threatened.
Narcissistic sociopaths are extremely dangerous when they feel threatened. And because of their paranoia and inability to trust others they often feel threatened and get explosive, hostile, and aggressive. They may even become physically violent.
9. They often get bored.
Narcissistic sociopaths are constantly seeking new and exciting things to do. It’s as if nothing can keep their attention and interest for a long period. They easily get bored with people and things and they will dismiss them when they are no longer interested in them.
10. They are empty inside.
Narcissistic sociopaths have developed a strong and powerful exterior, but that is only a façade. They are very empty and hollow inside. They lack emotions and empathy and therefore, they can never connect with another human being in any way.
Narcissists & Sociopaths: Shared Trates
Both sociopaths and narcissists are charming and charismatic, selfish, controlling, explosive, unreliable, dishonest, and manipulators. Both of them lack a sense of responsibility for their actions. They both feel entitled to getting the best treatment from others without giving anything in return. Finally, they both lack empathy for others and that’s the biggest red flag because they don’t care if they hurt someone, they only care about themselves.
Differences Between Narcissists And Sociopaths
The difference between a narcissist and a sociopath is in the driving force behind their disorder. Namely, when it comes to narcissists, their ego is always at stake and they base their actions solely on their ego.
On the other hand, the sociopath is driven by their self-interest. So, they gravitate towards the person who can get them ahead in life. In other words, narcissists behave like hurt children, faking superiority and lashing out when they don’t get what they want, while sociopaths are con artists.
Moreover, narcissists try to impress you in order to build their egos. Sociopaths will only impress you if they can get something out of you. Sociopaths are calculated and persuasive, while narcissists are reactive. Sociopaths may even apologize to you and tell you they were wrong to get you to do what they want, something a narcissist will never do.
And a narcissistic sociopath is both of these combined.
How To Cope With A Narcissistic Sociopath – The Worst Of All
The narcissistic sociopath can be violent, abusive, and dangerous. So, the best way to deal with them is to not deal with them at all. Meaning, avoid this person at all costs! This person is very unpredictable and impulsive and you will end up hurt in the end. Narcissistic sociopaths are sadists. They enjoy seeing other people’s pain.
So, do yourself a favor and RUN and NEVER look back.
References:
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). Merck Manual Professional Version.(1)
Caligor E, et al. Narcissistic personality disorder: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, course, assessment, and diagnosis.
Caligor E, et al. Treatment of narcissistic personality disorder.
Hales RE, et al. Personality disorders. In: The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 6th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2014. (2)
Caligor E, et al. Narcissistic personality disorder: Diagnostic and clinical challenges. American Journal of Psychiatry.
Palmer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Narcissistic personality disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2013. (3)
Kacel EL, et al. Narcissistic personality disorder in clinical health psychology practice: Case studies of comorbid psychological distress and life-limiting illness.
Nowadays considered as a disorder, anxiety has got its evolutionary roots back in the earliest beginnings of human evolution. Humans needed it to survive in the harsh and unpredictable environment they lived in.
Anxiety nowadays is considered to be an inexplicable feeling of unease, nervousness, and worry. It’s true that we have come too far to be affected by the same conditions which gave rise to the protective role of anxiety for our ancestors. So why and how does it occur now?
A lot of literature connects today’s anxiety disorders to some kind of psychological and emotional abuse during a person’s childhood. It has been found that early-life stress has a profound effect on the Central Nervous System (CNS) and that the same effect can occur in adults. (1)
This abuse is now discussed as a major factor contributing to anxiety disorders, major depression, and PTSD. In fact, it has been established that psychological abuse is more detrimental than physical aggression and that it leaves a deep scar on the victim’s mental health.
Children who have been victims of psychological abuse don’t necessarily develop anxiety in their lives, but such traumatic events in times where their brains are still developing contribute to supersensitivity in the neuroendocrine stress response systems.
This means that any additional stress from emotional or psychological abuse later in life bears a high possibility of triggering psychological disorders such as anxiety and major depression.
What Is Narcissistic Abuse?
Narcissistic abuse is one of the most harmful types of psychological abuse. It renders the victim unable to think and reason clearly due to the increased stress and the eventual adrenal fatigue.
This, in turn, triggers a number of possible outcomes, among which the most devastating effect could be an anxiety disorder, major depression, or both. This further increases your susceptibility to the narcissistic abuse and your inability to escape it.
That is why some victims tend to remain in the victim-abuser loop until the rest of their lives and are not even aware that their abuser feeds off them with every passing day.
The most common targets for a narcissist are people who are empathetic, compassionate and choose to see the best in others. This sensitive type of people will choose to trust and understand the narcissist.
And this is what they need to start weaving their web around their good-willing victims. In the process of their flawless manipulation, they will use whatever means necessary to make their victim feel smaller and more dependent on them.
They do it by constantly trying to lower their self-confidence and make their victims believe that they are going crazy. If they see themselves caught in the act, they will skillfully get out of the situation by convincing the other person that they are imagining the situation and are psychologically unstable.
While this is not the truth, you know what they say: a lie told a hundred times becomes truth. The more they make their victim question their morality, sanity, and ability to love unconditionally, the more they nail them to their cross and feed off them.
From the victim perspective, this lowered state and constant stress will eventually lead to adrenal fatigue and a constant fear that they may be doing something wrong. In certain cases, the victims start avoiding people, feel unable to function properly, feeling disconnected and are generally in a disabled state. (2)
This process is what will eventually lead the victim to a state of a shattered self-confidence and a completely destroyed mental state, where a lot of mental disorders have a space to start festering.
In this state, the victim is prone to develop extreme social anxiety, illnesses related to pervasive stress, a complete sense of disassociation from the self, and symptoms of major depression.
If you find yourself in such situation, it’s best that you talk to a psychologist and ask for help. While there are people who are able to recognize narcissistic abuse and get out of that relationship before it develops, some people are very much trapped in the cycle and find it impossible to get out.
It’s not that they don’t want to, but the psychological damage they have endured has left them unable to fight off the abuser and has made them shut themselves off from the rest of the world.
Narcissistic Abuse Syndrome
The narcissistic abuse syndrome occurs when a person has been living with or spending a lot of their time with a narcissist.
People with a narcissistic abuse syndrome often question their own self-worth or sanity, always analyzing and overthinking about their flaws and failures. The truth is, these are simply ideas that were planted in their mind by their narcissistic parent or partner.
People victims of narcissistic abuse often have a hard time identifying with reality because their minds are confused from the constant abuse and emotional manipulation they’ve been or still are exposed to.
The narcissistic abuse symptoms may vary, however, in most cases they mimic those of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, a condition that affects people who’ve endured severe traumas in their early childhoods.
Narcissistic Abuse Symptoms Include:
Intrusive, invasive, or unwanted thoughts
Avoiding people or places associated with the narcissist
Triggers, i.e., physical or emotional responses to situations that resemble past traumatic events/experiences
Feeling isolated and detached from the world
Feeling extremely alert, having a fight or flight response to everything
Not feeling important or valued
Narcissistic Abuse Signs
Many victims of narcissistic abuse tend to approach a counselor in the hopes to improve themselves.
After undergoing a long and traumatic narcissistic abuse, these people tend to perceive themselves as a failure, they are ashamed of who they are and feel insecure, unworthy, incapable, or delusional. Hence, it’s no wonder if they turn to an expert for help.
They focus so much on fixing everything that’s “wrong” with them, they forget to mention the narcissist in their life, the abuser. Or even if they do, they only say nice things about them, praising them and admiring them.
This is so because the victim has absolute trust in their abuser; they think the narcissist can never hurt them. Even better yet, they are the only one that loves and appreciates them.
But how can you recognize narcissists even before they pick you on your radar?
Narcissists are usually charming people who want all the attention on themselves. They are the people that can make an entire room laugh with their dazzling sense of humor, and when they are good with their victim, it may feel like you are on Cloud 9. Unfortunately, it’s their cycle of torture.
They sugarcoat with love and affection, only to smash you on a wooden floor later on with their dismissive attitude and cold-hearted nature. They are conniving, selfish, self-oriented, critical, and bad at listening.
They never truly listen to other people, they just nod and wait for them to stop talking so they can regain the spotlight.
Now, narcissists usually create codependent relationships because they need someone they can emotionally abuse just so they feel good, much like a leech sucking for blood.
Many have been wondering why are narcissists so toxic and needy of a victim whom they can drain from worth and happiness, and although it’s not always clear why it is believed that their emotional clinginess and pumped-up ego stems either from their overprotective parents or childhood neglect.
Below are the signs that a victim is undergoing narcissistic abuse in their life:
12 Signs Of Narcissistic Abuse
1. The abuser seems so perfect (at first)
Narcissistic abuse can be hard to identify because it happens slowly after the victim is already hooked on the narcissist. Victims almost inevitably fall in love hard with the narcissist because the narcissist is everything they want in the beginning. Handsome, smart, funny, ambitious, and charming.
During the love-bombing phase, the narcissist makes their victim feel adored, special, and cared for. The narcissist compliments them, gives them love and affection, and pretends to want to spend the rest of their life with them. In the victim’s eyes, the narcissist is the perfect person, and they are grateful that someone like them is even interested in them.
The early stage of the relationship is very intense. The abuser seems too loving and caring to the victim that they don’t even think that their relationship might be a lie. Then, slowly, the expressions of love and compliments stop, and they are being replaced with insults, lies, and manipulation. The narcissist goes from love-bombing their victim to completely disregarding them, using silent treatment or gaslighting as manipulative tactics.
2. Other people can’t even believe the abuse happened
The abuse coming from a narcissist is very subtle. That’s because the narcissist is not “openly” abusing anyone. You see, the narcissist is someone who cares about their public image. Therefore, they will never let themselves lose control in public. Instead, they will abuse their victim behind closed doors.
The victim may also not know what is happening because the narcissist is leaving them confused and upset all the time. They may even feel guilty for their “mistakes” that are actually the narcissist’s fault. The narcissist will insult their partner in front of everyone, but they will disguise the insult as a joke. So, other people may also not realize they are abusive.
And when the victim of narcissistic abuse needs support and love from their friends and family the most, they may not believe that the abuse even took place. Instead, they may question the victim’s perception of things and start assuring them that they must be wrong and that the narcissist would never do that and hurt them intentionally.
This is highly harmful in many ways. It seems as it not only destroys the hope of the victim for the support and love from their loved ones, but it can also make the victim feel delusional and crazy, believing that they might be actually imagining things.
3. The Narcissist Has Started A Smear Campaign
A narcissist always needs to maintain their perfect image of themselves and their life to have people admire them. So, in order to do that, they need to make others look bad. When they break up with their partner, or when their partner breaks up with them, the narcissist is quick to start a smear campaign against them to destroy their name and reputation.
They do this to save face and make the other person the “guilty” one for the break-up. They may start telling others how they were unstable and hard to be with… anything that they can use against them to discredit them and ruin their character. Plus, the narcissist is deadly charming, and they can make people believe almost anything they tell them.
Moreover, the narcissist may even win over the friends and family of their partner and convince them that their friend or daughter is the crazy one. So, when the victim actually decides to speak up, no one will believe them.
4. The Victim Feels Isolated
When a victim feels alone, with no one supporting them and understanding what they are going through, that might make them even more vulnerable to continue being abused and manipulated by the narcissist. The narcissist will see the sadness and loneliness of their victim, and so, they will try to lure them in with kindness and false promises of a bright future.
This manipulation technique is called ‘hoovering’, and it only works when the victim is in a vulnerable state without support from anyone, not even their loved ones. Plus, if their friends and family tell the victim that they should go back with the narcissist, they may do so and even apologize to the narcissist so that they won’t end up alone and isolated.
That’s how dangerous the narcissistic tactics are.
5. The victim freezes up
Different people respond differently to trauma. Some people may start fighting with the abuser, while others tend to escape the situation altogether (fight or flight response). Some victims of narcissistic abuse, however, tend to freeze up when experiencing trauma.
This freezing response oftentimes happens when the victim is feeling helpless. It can be beneficial in some situations, but the victim is still unable to escape the abuse. It is only a momentary reaction that is usually followed by the victim keep working to keep their partner (the narcissist) happy and keep the relationship from falling apart.
6. The Victim Has Trouble Making Decisions
The victim is constantly being abused and criticized by the narcissist, and they start doubting their own decisions. As a result, they have shattered self-esteem, and therefore, they have trouble doing anything for themselves without consulting the narcissist.
The narcissist has succeeded in destroying their self-confidence by constantly implying that they are not good enough and criticizing the way they are doing things. So, the victim starts to feel as if they can’t do anything right. Then, the narcissist will insult them in a ‘loving’ way, leaving the victim with an unclear perception of things and confusion about what is right and what is wrong.
The narcissist gaslights them to the point of making them believe they imagine things. The narcissist may abuse them, and the victim may think that the event never happened, that it is all in their head.
7. The Victim Always Feels As If They Have Done Something Wrong
The narcissist is someone who never takes responsibility for their hurtful actions. In their world, it is always other people’s fault. The narcissist will always find a way to present themselves as the victim, while putting the blame on others. And they usually do this by getting so angry at the victim that they actually end up apologizing to them and admitting they were wrong in order to calm their anger.
For example, suppose the victim accuses the narcissist of cheating. In that case, the narcissist will quickly get angry and start accusing them and redirecting the blame on them by saying hurtful things in order to belittle their victim. The victim then may get scared that the narcissist will leave them and that they should be ‘lucky’ that they are with the narcissist in the first place.
The victim may even start feeling ‘grateful’ that the narcissist is so ‘forgiving’ and decides to remain with them. Finally, even after they decide to leave the narcissist, they may experience trouble believing in themselves and blaming themselves for anything that goes wrong.
8. The Victim Starts Experiencing Unexplained Physical Symptoms
Abuse may trigger anxiety, and the victim may even begin to experience physical symptoms following the narcissistic abuse they are going through.
The victim may experience fatigue, insomnia, appetite changes, nausea or upset stomach, muscle pains and aches, stomach pain, and other gastrointestinal troubles.
9. The Victim Starts Feeling Unsettled And Restless
Narcissists are so unpredictable. The victim never knows whether they will love them or criticize them and start a fight. So, the victim is constantly on edge, fearing what will happen during their next encounter with the narcissist.
The victim feels constant tension and fear of criticism. They are no longer able to relax. They no longer feel safe, and their guard is always up.
10. The Victim No Longer Recognizes Themselves
Many victims going through narcissistic abuse start behaving differently than they usually would. That happens because they don’t want to upset their partner, so they try to accommodate them by altering themselves, thus losing their identity.
So, when the narcissist complains to their partner that they don’t want them to go out with friends, the victim may stop going out in order to show them their love. Next, they give up their dreams, hobbies, friends, and family, all in the hopeless attempt to make the relationship with the narcissist work.
Sadly, the narcissist is never satisfied, and they keep pushing the boundaries. Their requests never stop, and the victim feels drained to the point of no longer recognizing themselves.
11. The Victim Starts Having Trouble Setting Boundaries
A person a narcissist has abused, usually has little to no respect for themselves, and thus they don’t have boundaries. When the victims of narcissists try to speak up and set boundaries with the narcissist, the narcissist either ignores them or gives them the silent treatment until they end up doing what the narcissist wants.
Many people who decided to leave the narcissist alone and not let them in their life again have found themselves reconciling with the narcissist after the narcissist successfully removing the barriers and destroying their newly-set boundaries.
Finally, people who have suffered narcissistic abuse may also have trouble setting boundaries with other people.
12. The Victim Has Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression
Depression and anxiety are common symptoms of narcissistic abuse. The constant stress a victim feels is enough to put them in a state of worry, fear, and nervousness, leading to anxiety, and later – depression.
The victim never knows what to expect from the narcissist, so they are in a persistent state of fear, constantly feeling helpless. The victim is always asking themselves what went wrong. As a result, they are sad and miserable. Their anxiety and depression after narcissistic abuse also stem from their destroyed self-worth and constant blame of themselves for the failure of the relationship.
Note: If you think that you or someone you know and love is struggling with narcissistic abuse syndrome and undergoing a reiterating narcissistic abuse cycle, it’s important that you seek help from a narcissistic abuse therapist.
It’s not just about making an effort to get rid of the toxic claws of the narcissist, it’s also about seeking treatment to regain the control in YOUR life.
Narcissistic Abuse Cycle
The relationship cycle typical of narcissistic abuse follows a pattern, much like any other cycle of abuse.
Victims of emotionally abusive relationships experience a three-stage, vortex-like cycle of idealization, devaluing, and discarding. Yet, they keep coming back to their abuser because they think it’s them who did something wrong, not their toxic parent or partner.
Narcissists first show affection to hook their victim, and later on reveal their true face. They’ve been loving and caring for a few days, and then suddenly, start saying spiteful things or jokes about their partner in social occasions.
They know their victim is going to be hurt or embarrassed for sharing something so private about them, yet they do it anyways, making their victim insecure, ashamed, rejected.
Or they will suddenly detach from their victim, giving them the silent treatment. You really don’t know what you did? I have to tell you? Had you been a little more observant, you would’ve known.
Now the victim is confused. How come he/she was so gentle and loving yesterday? What happened? What did I do?
Naturally, they think it’s their fault and they try to search for ways to improve themselves. (3)
Narcissistic Abuse Examples
Narcissists expect others to behave in certain ways and they have a way of making people do what they want. That way is usually paved with low empathy, belittling, offensive remarks, and criticism when their victims fail to meet their standards.
Here’s What The Abuse Can Look Like Through Examples:
Your narcissistic partner said your perfume, your hair or your new piece of clothing look stupid and ugly, so you’ve changed them.
Your narcissistic parent told you how you are wasting your time reading books as a kid, so you gave up writing thinking you are not that good either way
Your parent or partner control your time and keep you from seeing friends or participating in social activities by yourself.
If you’ve changed your looks and style, your hobbies, or if you’ve lost things you used to like as a result of their narcissistic abuse and manipulation, you might feel as if you no longer know yourself, hence the disconnection from reality, the panic, and the anxious thoughts that feel like they cripple your day to day functioning.
Anxiety and depression are a dangerous abyss if left untreated, but luckily they can be treated and reversed. (4)
Narcissistic Abuse Recovery
Toxic relationships are traumatic and leave victims with lingering symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks, which take time and active effort to heal.
Your love for the narcissist can convince you t that everything is your fault – every manipulation, every maltreatment, every spiteful and toxic comment they casually threw at you that further deepened your emotional scars and convinced you of your lack of self-worth.
Breaking off the toxic whirlwind is never easy, but all it takes is deciding you want to get out of the tunnel and break free.
Your narcissistic abuse healing is not a one size fits all nor is it going to be as easy as drinking a pill. It’s journey.
How?
Practice self-compassion. Praise yourself for having the courage to end the narcissistic abuse cycle, for having the courage to end the toxic relationship.
Try to rediscover yourself. Find out what you like doing, rediscover your hobbies and interests.
Don’t undermine the importance of positive reinforcement mantras.
Wake up every day and utter the words:
I am beautiful.
I am strong.
I am loved.
I am enough.
With my personality. With my lifestyle. With my job. With my fashion sense. With my music taste. With my cooking skills. With everything that makes me… ME.
I am enough. I am good. I am safe, and I always will be.
Because I am free from my past. Because I’ve moved on and I’ve left all my burdens behind.
…And most importantly, talk to a narcissistic abuse therapist whenever your emotional well-being gets blurred or distorted by unwanted thoughts.
Psychological abuse is more dangerous than physical abuse. It leaves terrible consequences on the mental health of the victim and it renders them unable to recognize it.
In the case of narcissistic abuse, the victim will be certain that they are the ones who are in the wrong, and they will blame themselves for the dark reality they are in. This, of course, is far from the truth.
If you are or have been a victim of narcissistic abuse, know that it has never been your fault and that you did your best to pull that disturbed soul out of its own darkness. The truth is, most narcissists prefer their darkness, and they want to pull you into it.
In the past few years, the gambling industry has expanded considerably and become one of the most popular options in home entertainment. Nowadays, it is possible to access all sorts of online casinos and sportsbooks on mobile phones and place bets at any time, anywhere. Nonetheless, the biggest novelty offered by gambling platforms is the possibility to bet on virtually anything. Join us as we go over some of the special types of bets users can place.
Politics
Politics is one of the most standard topics in any news outlet and one of the most dominating themes in modern societies. And while politics can sometimes be a divisive and contentious topic, betting has found a way for users to put their political skills to the test. Users interested in political betting can easily place their wagers to try and successfully predict the outcome of upcoming elections or who the next political leaders will be. For instance, punters can have a say on the outcome of the next elections in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, or the next country to leave the European Union.
Oscars
The Academy Awards are the most famous awards show in the entertainment industry worldwide. The Oscars are without a doubt one of the most important events in the world and the live ceremony used to, at one point, attract over one billion watchers globally every year. With the multiplication of streaming platforms and other alternative platforms, the number of viewers has gone down, but the show continues to host the most prestigious night of the year, with some of the biggest starts gathering in the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles. With 24 competing categories the ceremony has become the focus of extensive speculation regarding potential winners. In fact, over the years betting houses have begun accepting bets over the main category, the Academy Award for Best Picture. Nowadays, online betting platforms have taken this a step forward and made it possible for punters to bet on the winners of almost all categories, including Best Actress, Best Original Song, or Best Director.
Highest Grossing Film Worldwide
Every year, hundreds of films hit the theatres worldwide, competing to attract watchers and generate enthusiasm among moviegoers. These films and their respective release dates are carefully selected by movie studios in order to take advantage of particular holidays and seasonal events. These schedules are usually released well in advance, giving production companies time to advertise the movies. In this sense, movie enthusiasts can look at a list of all the movies to be released in a specific year to try and predict which movies will have the biggest impact on the box office worldwide. What was previously just a hobby has now become a betting category. Users feeling like their up for the challenge can put their film knowledge to the test and guess which film will be crowned box office winner. While these are some of the most interesting special betting categories available online, you can also check out betting sections related to which actor will become the next James Bond, the winner of Big Brother and the winner of upcoming WWE matches
A healthy gut is directly associated with a healthy body. Whether it’s your heart, brain, or mood, your gut health has a lot of effect on your entire body and wellbeing. The microorganisms naturally present in the gut have a lot to do with its health. The imbalance of these microorganisms often causes gut-related problems like indigestion, diarrhoea, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS).
Probiotics help control the right balance of good and bad bacteria. Although there are natural sources of probiotics like curd, yogurt, pickles, Sauerkraut, Kombucha, etc., these sources do not have enough probiotics. That is why probiotic supplements like Bio Complete 3 help fulfill the need for probiotics and keep your gut healthy. Numerous brands make gut health supplements, but unfortunately, there is a chance you might encounter a defective product. To help you choose the right supplement, here are seven things you need to consider while buying gut health supplements.
1. Potency
As mentioned earlier, probiotic supplements contain microorganisms that restore the healthy balance of gut bacteria. But, the number of microorganisms must be sufficient to do their function optimally. That is why it is essential to know the product’s potency you will buy.
Colony-Forming Unit or CFU determines the potency of the probiotic supplements. It is the number of bacteria cells in the supplement. A higher CFU number indicates higher potency and quality of the supplements. These supplements contain around 2 billion CFUs which are potent enough to treat various gut-related health problems. Though CFU determines the product’s potency, other factors like delivery mechanism, bacteria strain, and clinical studies also affect its effectiveness. When you consume the supplements, it passes through the acid passage of your stomach. The higher CFU number ensures that the formula survives the acidic passage and reaches where it is supposed to be. PH safe capsules are a better delivery method for probiotic supplements as they endure the acid passage.
2. Delivery Method
The delivery method of supplements plays a crucial role in its effectiveness. Although there are different delivery methods to introduce probiotics in the human health system, oral ingestion is the most preferable. Probiotic supplements like Bio Complete 3 come in capsules to ensure higher effectiveness. The delivery method also determines the time required for it to start working. The formula needs to reach the intestine and start working once dissolved.
3. Price
Price should never be the only factor in purchasing health supplements, yet you don’t have to pay more than you should. There are various price ranges available in the market. Factors such as brand, potency, quantity determine the price of the probiotic supplements. The higher price often equates with better quality. One hundred and twenty capsules (120) capsules of Probiotic supplements can cost around $70. If you decide to buy more in a single order, the unit’s price decreases. Make sure you buy a high-quality supplement without compromising quality.
4. Shelf Life
Probiotic supplements contain live microorganisms; that is why it is crucial to know the product’s shelf life. If the product is not stored correctly as per the manufacturer’s storage guidelines, the microorganisms can die. Check the manufacturing date and shelf life mentioned in the product’s packaging. Never buy any product that has reached the expiry date. It will not only be effective but can cause numerous health problems.
5. Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are the direct feedback from the customers that can give you great insights into the quality of the supplement. As the actual buyers of the product provide the reviews, they can give you more information about the product. Some reviews also contain pictures and videos to provide you with a better understanding of the product. Customer reviews can influence your purchase decision, so make sure you go through them before buying the supplement.
6. Dosage
Although probiotics are good for your health, it’s essential to understand that anything in excess is harmful to your health. The wrong dosage of gut health supplements can lead to gut problems like bloating, gas and diarrhea. Usually, the product’s packaging or the instruction manuals mentions the dosage information. You need to follow those dosage instructions for effective usage of the product. It’s always good to consult your health professional to know the correct dosage.
7. Ingredients
It’s essential to understand the ingredients of health supplements while buying them. The ingredients determine the authenticity of the product. You can check the manuals and packaging to know the ingredients and quantities. Probiotic supplements usually contain the following ingredients:
Probiotic supplements are highly beneficial for your gut health. Buying the best quality supplement ensures your gut health is on the right track. Make sure you check the above factors before purchasing any probiotic supplements.
Hip and lower back pain can come as a result of an irritation of the sciatic nerve. This pain can spread downwards and can affect the limbs and the feet. It is something many people suffer from, and the pain can affect your daily routine. Below is a list of 10 exercises for piriformis syndrome to help you get rid of your pain effectively. (1)
The sciatic nerve is located deep in the buttock. Because of its vicinity to the piriformis muscle, constriction or swelling of the muscle may lead to irritation of the nerve and pain. (2)
This muscle connects the top of the femur to the spine, and it’s the main muscle that allows for outward movement of the hip, upper leg, and foot from the body. The sciatic nerve passes beneath the piriformis muscle.
However, in many cases, the sciatic nerve passes right through the muscle and this leads to sciatica symptoms caused by what is known as piriformis syndrome. This leaves them with pain in the lower back and hip region that won’t go away, and this eventually contributes to poor movement and balance.
It is estimated that at some point in life, 4 out of 10 people will get sciatica or irritation of the sciatic nerve.
What is Piriformis Syndrome?
Piriformis Syndrome is a very painful condition that is not so common. It is a neuromuscular disorder that occurs when the sciatic nerve gets compressed by the piriformis muscle and it leads to irritation and extreme pain.
The piriformis muscle is a muscle that is flat and band-like and it is located in a person’s buttocks, near the top of the hip joint. The piriformis muscle is very important for the movement in the lower body because it has a function to stabilize the hip joint and it also rotates the thigh away from the body which makes us able to stand, walk, or run by shifting our weight from one leg to another thus maintaining balance.
The sciatic nerve, on the other hand, is a long and thick nerve in the human’s body. This nerve goes through or passes alongside the piriformis muscle, then goes down the back of the leg, and then it branches off into smaller nerves that finish in the feet. So, nerve compression can be a result of a spasm of the piriformis muscle, a condition known as piriformis sciatica.
Piriformis Syndrome Symptoms
Piriformis syndrome not always has the same symptoms, however, the most common ones include pain in the buttocks that gets more intense when a person sits, especially when the legs are crossed. Other symptoms are:
severe pain while sitting or squatting
pain that goes away when you move
pain that comes from standing, sitting, or walking for more than half an hour
pain in the opposite sacroiliac joint
foot numbness
pain when standing up from squatting or sitting
pain, numbness, tingling, itching, or burning sensations from the sacrum down the back of the things that oftentimes ceases above the knee.
Piriformis Syndrome Causes
The most common causes of piriformis syndrome and sciatica pain are: hip injury, leg-length discrepancy (when one leg is shorter than the other), abnormal location and development of the sciatic nerve or the piriformis muscle, severe and harmful exercise, prolonged periods of sitting, foot problems, such as Morton’s neuroma, and so on.
The leading cause of sciatica is, as mentioned earlier, constriction in the piriformis muscle, or swelling, both caused by an injury or spasm. Consulting your doctor is highly recommended, as there may be other more serious causes.
Sciatica treatment involves sciatica nerve exercises, medications, and can even lead to surgery. The oral over-the-counter medications given to people who suffer from sciatica pain include acetaminophen, aspirin, or NSAIDs (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen).
Patients can also be given muscle relaxants, antidepressants for chronic lower back pain, and pain medications for more severe pain.
In other words, if the whole treatment is taken into account, the therapy can last for as long as the nerve is irritated. This means that if you don’t do something extra about your sciatica, you will most likely spend years on medications.
Fast Relieve From Piriformis
Serving as pain relief exercises, there are some piriformis sciatica nerve stretches that you can try. It’s important to note that you must stay within the comfort limits. This means that in this case, no pain IS gain. If you take it even a bit further, you may complicate your condition.
Also, before you stretch you must warm up. You can do this by taking a walk, marching in place, or climbing up and down a flight of stairs slowly. Whatever warm-up activity you choose, you will need to do it a few minutes before starting the stretches.
Here Are The 10 Piriformis Sciatica Nerve Stretches Relief:
Please note that these exercises must be done within the comfort zone of your body. Any unnecessary pain can lead to complications, so don’t overdo the stretches.
IMPORTANT: Before starting any type of stretches and exercises, you should always consult your spine specialist first.
Exercises for Piriformis Syndrome (And How Long To Hold A Stretch)
1. Supine Piriformis Stretch
1. Lie down with your knees bent upwards. 2. Cross your affected leg over the other leg, by bending it upwards toward your chest. 3. Grab your knee with one hand and the ankle with the other hand and pull slowly toward the shoulder which is in line with your ankle – until you feel a stretch through the glutes in the buttock. 4. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and release.
Note that you shouldn’t feel a pinch in the front of your thigh. If you do, you will need to stretch your hip flexors first.
If you don’t feel a stretch in the glutes, you cross your legs as in step 2 and pull the leg which is sitting on the floor by grabbing behind your thigh and pulling the leg toward your chest.
Here’s a video to demonstrate:
2. Standing Piriformis Stretch
Another exercise good for sciatica pain relief is the standing Piriformis stretch.
1. While standing, place the affected leg over the other leg’s knee to get what looks like the number 4. 2. Slowly lower your hips toward the ground at a 45-degree angle, while bending your standing leg’s knee appropriately. 3. Lean forward with your torso and extend your arms parallelly to the ground, while keeping your spine straight at all times. 4. Hold for 30-60 seconds, and switch legs when done.
If you have trouble balancing, you can stand with your back against a wall and distance your feet from the wall by 24 inches. Use the wall as support and follow the steps above.
3. Outer Hip Piriformis Stretch
1. Lie on your back and bend the affected leg upward by placing your foot close to the back of the other leg’s knee. 2. Tuck your foot behind the other leg’s knee and twist your leg to the opposite side with the knee facing or touching the ground. 3. Place the hand which is on the side where the knee is (if you’re stretching your right leg, place the left hand on the knee) and raise the other arm in the air. 4. Slowly start lowering your other arm toward the opposite direction of the knee, with the intent to touch the shoulder to the ground. 5. Stay like that for 20 seconds and switch legs. 6. Return to the lying position and stretch both legs. Bend the two knees together and gently pull them with your hands toward your chest.
You won’t be able to touch your shoulder to the ground at first, and don’t try to achieve that with try 1. The purpose of this exercise is to achieve a stretch in the piriformis muscle, and any stretch that is comfortable is enough.
4. Long Adductor (Groin) Stretch
1. Sit on the floor and stretch your legs straight out and as far apart as you can. 2. Gently tilt your torso forward toward the ground and place your hands on the floor next to each other. 3. Try to touch your elbows to the ground by gently leaning forward. You should tilt forward as long as you feel a comfortable stretch and stop if you feel any pain. 4. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds and release.
If you feel pain in other parts of your legs, such as behind your knees, or your thighs, you should do some other leg stretches before attempting this stretch.
5. Short Adductor (Inner Thigh) Stretch
1. While sitting on the ground, put the soles of your feet together in front of your pelvis. 2. Hold your ankles with the opposite hands (left hand – right ankle and vice versa). 3. Gently push downward with your knees with the effort to touch the ground with them. You need to stop right before any pain occurs, which means that if you feel pain, get back an inch or two and stay there. 4. Hold for 30 seconds, release, and flutter your legs in that position (like a butterfly) for 30 seconds.
If you want a deeper stretch, you can use your elbows to push your knees down, and for an even deeper stretch, you can bend your torso forward while keeping your back straight.
6. Side Lying Clam Exercise
1. Lay on your side, with the affected hip on top. 2. Bend your legs backward to achieve an L shape, while keeping one foot over the other and your legs parallel to each other. 3. Make sure your body and spine are not bent in any way, and that your affected hip is directly on top of the other. 4. Keeping your feet together, raise the top knee upward, while paying attention that the body remains in the original position. 5. Return the knee to the initial position slowly. Repeat 15 times.
7. Hip Extension Exercise
1. Place your hands and knees on the ground (get on the ground on all fours). Your hands need to be in line with your shoulders. 2. Tilt your weight off the affected leg and raise the leg upward (with the knee bent) toward the ceiling. 3. Lower your leg slowly, reaching almost to the starting position. Repeat 15 times.
8. Supine Piriformis Side Stretch
1. Lie on the ground with your back straight and your legs flat. 2. Bend the affected leg upward and place the foot on the outer side of the other leg, near the knee. 3. Using the opposite hand, gently pull the knee of the affected leg across the midline of your body until you feel a stretch. If you feel pain, loosen up the stretch. 4. Make sure you don’t lift your shoulders and hips off the ground. 5. Hold for 30 seconds, return to the starting position and switch legs. Repeat the whole process 2-3 times.
9. Buttocks Stretch for the Piriformis Muscle
1. Position your hands and knees on the ground (all fours). 2. Bring the affected leg’s foot underneath your trunk and twist it toward the opposite side, near the hip, while pointing with the knee toward the shoulder. 3. Lower your head, until your forehead touches the ground, and lean your forearms on the ground for support. 3. Slowly stretch the non-affected leg out behind you, while keeping your pelvis straight. 4. Push your hips slightly toward the floor. 5. Hold for 30 seconds and return to the initial position slowly. Repeat 2-3 times.
10. Seated Stretch
1. Sit on a chair and cross the affected leg over your other leg’s knee. 2. Bring your chest forward and bend slightly forward, while keeping your spine straight at all times. 3. Hold for a couple of breaths and try to bend a bit further (if you don’t feel pain). 4. Stay in this position for about 30 seconds and slowly release. Repeat with the other leg.
Piriformis Syndrome VS. Sciatica
Even though these two terms are oftentimes used as synonyms, they are not the same and they are different when it comes to their symptoms, causes, and their treatment. They both inflict pain in your leg, buttock, or lower back, but the underlying cause for the pain is different for piriformis syndrome and sciatica.
Piriformis syndrome as I said, is a condition where your sciatic never gets compressed and irritated by your piriformis muscle. The sciatic nerve gets close to this muscle and therefore, the symptoms of piriformis syndrome can transmit to your sciatic nerve by traveling from your hip and buttock towards your leg.
Sciatica is caused when spinal stenosis or a herniated disc compresses or irritates one or more nerve roots in your lower spine since these nerve roots are merged together and form the sciatic nerve.
And while piriformis syndrome can be a result of any changes in the anatomy of the piriformis muscle or the sciatic nerve, sitting for a long period of time, or injury of your buttock or hip, sciatica is a result of a series of problems that affect and damage the lower spinal nerve roots, such as spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, or herniated discs.
If the cause of the pain is piriformis syndrome, then the hip and buttock pain is more present than pain in the lower back. If the cause is sciatica, however, the pain in the leg is more prominent than the lower back pain. In sciatica, the affected leg also feels heavy. Moreover, in piriformis syndrome, when the person sits for long periods of time, the pain increases. In sciatica, the pain minimizes when the person raises the affected leg while lying down.
Piriformis Muscle Stretch And Physical Therapy
When it comes to stretching as a way of curing piriformis syndrome, there are numerous stretching exercises you can do using hip extensors or hamstring. These tools will help you relieve the pain and better your motion. Here are two simple piriformis stretches you can do:
Lie on your back. Bent your knees while your both feet lie flat on the floor. Then, pull your right knee up to your chest, grasp it with your left hand, and then pull it towards your left shoulder. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
Lie on your back. Bent your knees while your both feet lie flat on the floor. Rest your right leg ankle over your left leg knee. Then, pull your left thigh towards your chest. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
Do these exercises at least 3 times a day.
Hamstring Stretches
It is very important to stretch the hamstrings i.e the large muscle on the back of your thigh, in order to heal any type of sciatic pain. Here are 2 simple exercises that will help you do just that.
Bring two chairs and place them face to face with each other. Then, sit on one chair and put the heel of your leg on the other chair. Then, by leaning forward, bend at your hips until you feel your thigh stretching. Then hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
Lie on your back. Your legs should be straight. Then pull one leg up and straighten it by holding onto a towel that you have previously wrapped behind your foot. Pull until you feel your thigh stretching. Then, hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
Repeat these exercises 3 times every day.
Physical Therapy For Piriformis Syndrome
Physical therapy can be of great additional help for curing piriformis syndrome. A chiropractor, physiatrist, a physical therapist, or another qualified health practitioner, will make a program of different motion and stretching exercises designed just for you and your problem in order to help you stretch the muscle and thus decrease spasm.
Passive Techniques For Treating Sciatica
Cold And Hot Packs
Frozen or heated packs containing gels, beads, or granules have proven to be helpful in alleviating pain when you place them over the painful and sore tissue.
The hot packs can relieve the pain by relaxing the stiffness of the muscle by improving blood flow and reducing muscle tension. Cold packs, on the other hand, relieve the pain by producing a numbing effect thus reducing the swelling and the pain. Moreover, cold packs reduce the chemical reaction that causes pain and inflammation.
Apply cold or hot therapy for 15-20 minutes with a 2-hour break in between the applications. Put a towel between your body and the pack to avoid injuring your skin.
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
This therapy is applying electric current directly to the sensory nerves by using a transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation unit (TENS) thus creating a tingling sensation that minimizes the pain, mostly in the lower back area.
Neuromuscular Electric Muscle Stimulation
This is a therapeutic method that uses different amplitudes and wavelengths in order to reduce the contraction of the muscle and improve its function and movement.
Finally, stretching together with physical therapy and the other passive techniques can help you get rid of sciatica pain and piriformis syndrome if you are persistent.
8 Exercises To Avoid With Piriformis Syndrome
There are also some piriformis syndrome exercises you should avoid that can aggravate your pain or irritate the piriformis muscle.
Piriformis syndrome is a nagging chronic pain condition, and the piriformis muscle gets very sensitive when the hip muscle doesn’t function or is unbalanced.
An additional trigger and tension may make the muscle spasm, even more, when you are in pain.
The pain also inhibits the muscles that play the primary role in the body, such as the gluteus maximus in this case and some other hip muscles, and will try to compensate, which leads to even greater pain and spams. There are some exercises that can aggravate the pain and make addition tension and muscle spasm.
So, let’s go for the list of the 8 exercises to avoid:
1. Avoid Sitting Exercises
If your problem is caused by sitting for long periods, you should avoid sitting exercises. If you do an exercise while sitting on a chair, you should consider an exercise that can be done while lying on the floor.
It would help if you also stopped stretching the muscle if you have been stretching it, as sometimes it may worsen the symptoms.
2. Clam Exercise
In addition, some other prescribed exercises can worsen the problem, such as Clam exercise, although it is a very popular and fantastic strengthening exercise. It is because it involves the hip’s external rotation, and this movement actually causes piriformis. This way, you activate it even more and your piriformis is already overworked. So it is always best to exercise the muscles around the piriformis, but not the piriformis itself.
3. Cycling
When you sit on a bike and do not have back support, you put additional stress on the lumbar spine and hips. The hip flexors are the muscles that are used when cycling, but they tend to be very tight and overworked as we sit most of the time. So, the cycle bent posture exacerbates the existing hip imbalance and does additional pressure on the spine and hips.
4. Some Gym Exercises
If you are an athlete, you should avoid any exercises in a seated position, such as:
Riding a bike
Using a recumbent stepper
Rowing
Upper body ergometer
Also, runners should probably cut back on running and start using cross-trainers instead.
5. Exercises with high-intensity movements
Your body is not in a condition to handle any high-intensity moments, especially jumping, which can cause additional pressure on the hips. Additional plyometric exercises to avoid are:
Running
Drills
Stair climbing
6. Side-lying leg lift
This simple move triggers the thighs, but you can easily make a mistake and move your hip joint and not your back by rotating the leg out. This will trigger even bigger pain and make it worse.
7. Intense scratching and foam rolling
Runners and athletes should avoid intense scratching and foam rolling. of the piriformis as this will tighten the muscle even more. Try scratching just the opposite leg, gently releasing any tension of your non – painful leg.
Is Walking Good For Piriformis Syndrome?
In general, yes, but you should cut on your distance or pace if you notice that your pain aggravates.
Always Remember Pain Is The Messenger
You should monitor your progress and exercises and see how your body communicates with you. If you have reduction and pain and greater mobility, you are making progress.
The race for the attention of users doesn’t stop for a minute. Social networks, instant messengers, dating apps and other platforms are constantly competing with each other, adopting someone else’s experience, borrowing functionality, and so on. As a result, there’s a kind of “transfusion” of users from one service to another. This is a completely normal process.
Today we plan to look at how the dating industry and Internet communications have been changing in general in recent years, and what kind of borrowings have helped modern Internet sites attract an audience.
“Trend” Functionality — The Key To Success?
There’s a clear example — the Clubhouse app — which was a big hit at the beginning of 2020. Basically it’s a social network on which all communication is carried out exclusively by voice. For many, it was a surprise that such a social network became so popular, but enterprising developers wasted no time and hastily began to add Clubhouse functionality to their sites.
This is how the Live Audio Rooms function appeared on Facebook, Spaces on Twitter, and voice chats with an unlimited number of listeners on Telegram. Meanwhile the creators of Badoo decided not to overload their dating application, but launched a third-party Stereo service.
Now that we know how quickly we forgot about Clubhouse, it’s funny to remember the haste with which the developers tried to copy it. But does this mean that borrowing is bad and pointless? Of course not!
There are dozens of examples where borrowing features from other services gave great results. Or at least good ones.
Here are some of them:
Twitter vs Instagram. It can’t really be said that the Instagram developers stole this idea from Twitter. But the similarities in the early years of Instagram were obvious — users got the same Twitter, only with pictures (and later videos) and the ability to post longer texts. The bottom line: 1.282 billion Instagram visitors versus 345.3 million on Twitter every day.
Instagram Stories. A very revealing example of borrowing, when the Instagram Stories function exploded, and annoyed people all over the internet. Almost all popular social networks and even services where this sort of feature isn’t very relevant soon offered equivalents to Stories. For example, Google Photos and some banking applications. Instagram recently allowed publishing minute-long Stories — will this make them even more annoying?
TikTok and others. Many criticize TikTok for content of questionable quality. And yet it is one of the fastest growing social networks at the moment. The daily number of TikTok users exceeds 755 million people and continues to increase. The audience has really warmed to the format of short videos, so third-party developers have hurried to implement something similar: Reels on Instagram, Shorts on YouTube, etc. As in the case of Stories, not everyone appreciated this borrowing positively, but they gradually got used to it and now actively use it
Now take a look at these three points and tell us, did you notice any general trend? No? We can give you a hint: video! Yes, yes, and once again yes, video content and video communication dominates the Internet space. This trend has been observed for more than a year, but recently it has become truly massive. Let’s find out why this is happening!
The Video Format: From Passive Viewing Of Videos To Video Dates And Virtual Dating
On April 25, 2005, the first video was posted on the new and unknown video hosting site YouTube — an 18-second video “Me at the zoo”. It’s unlikely that at that moment the developers were fully aware that they were at the origins of a completely new era of the Internet — video era!
More than a decade and a half has passed since then. Today YouTube is the largest video hosting site in the world with an incalculable amount of content. And video as a phenomenon has become an integral part of our lives. Through video, we communicate with friends, get an education, and participate in work conferences. From videos, we learn how to disassemble phones drowned in the bath and assemble computers from scratch. Video has become a qualitatively new source of information and means of communication.
Of course, history experts will say that video is not even close to a new format. The first short film was made over 130 years ago — in 1888 in England. And on April 20, 1964, the first ever video call was made. It happened at the World’s Fair and at that moment was something akin to science fiction.
But never before has video creation and video communication been so accessible to people as it is now. Just think, on June 24, 1968, AT&T brought video calling to the masses. True, it was at a sky-high price — for three minutes of a conversation you had to pay $16 (about $121 dollars today). Now we can make video calls to people on the other side of the globe in one click and not pay a penny for it (excluding our data allowance, of course). And video dating and communication in the virtual space no longer surprise anyone. We live in interesting times, don’t we?
Video Communication Is At The Forefront Of Everything
Today it’s difficult to find a social network, messenger or online dating service that does not have a video calling function. And many platforms put video communication front and center. We’re now talking about Omegle and its rivals.
Omegle video chat was launched in 2009 and very quickly attracted the attention of the public. Many liked the idea of speed dating with completely random people. As a result, Omegle gathered a multi-million audience in a few months. Meanwhile, other developers took the basic ideas of chat roulette and improved them.
OmeTV offered users gender and geographic filters, which Omegle video chat could not boast of. Plus the developers added the function of automatically translating text messages into the selected language, making OmeTV a convenient service for meeting foreign speakers.
Omegle Alternative has perfected the gender filter, allowing men to communicate exclusively with girls. The algorithm of the service simply does not connect them with other men, which is very handy.
These are just a couple of the successful Omegle alternatives that are fully focused on video communication. There are actually dozens of them and hundreds of more niche sites!
Video Is A Fact Of Modern Communication
In the modern world, almost any new idea is just borrowing another idea and improving it. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Quite the opposite. If you see something cool and know how it can be improved further, do it. That’s what progress is all about.
Today, communication services rely on video. And maybe in a couple of years, perhaps metauniverses and virtual worlds will come out on top. After all, developments in this direction are now extremely active. We’re very interested in how the online dating industry will change in 5, 10, 50 or 100 years. We are sure it will be something completely different by then!
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