Managing Stress

This is the 9^th in a series of blogs, using answers to pass Mental Health qualifications.

Now, Managing Stress could be a very long post. I’m sure there are whole books written on the subject. There most certainly is not a one-size-fits-all approach to managing stress. This is more a of a round-up of certain strategies, which can all be expanded upon further, in the future, and to finish off the series of blogs about stress.

Healthy strategies that could be used to reduce or manage stress in life.

There are many healthy strategies to help with stress, and it can be quite stressful to find ones that suit a person, however, the most accessible ones will be:
– Learning to take ‘time out’ and recharge, whether that’s making sure you take short breaks in your working day, a day off in a completely different environment or more than a day away. Breaks give us the change to refresh and recharge.
– Eating well and staying well hydrated – by filling our bodies with good, nutritious food and keeping the body, and brain, hydrated we are less likely to become ill, fatigued, have more energy and increase our focus and concentration, all positive attributes to reducing stress.
– Learning relaxation techniques such as gentle exercise, especially in nature, perhaps yoga and Pilates, learning meditation and mindfulness to calm the mind and body.
– Finding someone trustworthy to talk to, either a healthcare professional or a charity organisation or self-help group.
– Seek help for overwhelming chores and tasks at home and at work. Again, this is about being able to admit to the stressful concerns and having the confidence to ask for help.
– Look at whether anxiety issues are really worth it. This could be another issue where someone else can help question why someone is worried, fearful, anxious etc. It could be about accepting that it’s not worth getting stressed over things you cannot control.

Keep a stress diary / journal

Keeping a stress diary and how you would use it.

The main reason for keeping a stress diary is to be able to identify the symptoms, feelings and causes of stress. A pattern could be emerging enabling focus on finding ways to cope more effectively, with one thing at a time,

Local support available to individuals experiencing stress.

There are a variety of ways to find support within a local community, which could include:
Talking to a GP, asking for help with specific symptoms and advice about anything available to help.
Local support groups could be available for both physical and mental wellbeing, for instance alcoholic support groups, drug rehabilitation, stoke support groups, cancer etc. The list is endless. Many of these could be run by local charity and voluntary organisations.
National organisations such as the Samaritans can be available to offer support, help and guidance.
Local housing associations as well as national organisations such as Shelter could help with housing concerns causing stress.
Citizens Advice Bureaus are available in some areas, who have a whole team of people who can help with specifics relating to legal matters and financial matters for instance.
There will also be private healthcare practitioners and therapists available for a wide range of physical and mental conditions.
All of the above could help in one way, or work together, for the benefit of the person suffering the stress.

Tracey of PlumEssence Therapies and Training is a qualified stress management consultant, mental health first aider, hypnotherapist and body work therapist focusing on helping reduce and alleviate concerns connected to both physical and emotional pain. Tracey is also a teacher and trainer, delivering workshops related to stress and stress-related subjects and delivers accredited mental health courses.

Tracey is available for a no-obligation chat to see how we could work together on 01889 808388 or [email protected]

How Stress can affect People

This is the 8^th in a series of blogs, using answers to pass Mental Health qualifications.

Stress can be useful and harmful

Useful

Eustress is stress that is good for you. Having some of pressure, good stress, can be a motivator, to help you achieve and succeed and bring you joy.

Harmful

When stress starts to affect you emotionally and/or physically, in a negative way, usually due to a build-up of pressures and stresses over a period of time, and the ability to cope well, reduces.

Examples of the symptoms of stress

Some symptoms of stress can include:
Crying,
Quick mood changes and variations,
Low mood
Headaches and migraines, and other unexplained aches and pains.
Loss of, or gain, in appetite, usually not eating the correct foods.
Reliance on self-medication or alcohol,
Increase in heart rate and blood pressure,
Digestive concerns and problems,
Inability to sleep well resulting in fatigue and irritability,

Although many people can described themselves as stressed with one thing going on, it is often more than one cause and symptom of stress that starts to become a concern to an individual. Briefly describing a personal situation when I felt under stress and how I felt as a result of this situation.

Just over 10 years ago was probably the 2nd most stressful time of my life.
I was completing my Accounting post-grad qualifications, I was being harassed at work, I was suffering debilitating migraines and I was constantly unwell (which I know now were probably stress-related).
My dad was terminally ill and I lived 4 hours’ drive away making it difficult to see him. My marriage was in trouble and then, 2 weeks before my accounting exams, my dad died. I now realise I went into some fort of ‘zombie mode’. I was getting through each day feeling ‘dead’. I couldn’t experience joy or grief, which naturally other people didn’t understand, causing me more grief. To this day, I wonder how I got through it. It’s fair to say, I could have coped quite well with all of these things, one at a time, but with them all together it all became too much. I became very unwell myself, very unwell, resulting in my complete marriage breakdown and me walking out on my incredibly stressful job (although that is something I do not regret).

Feelings that people commonly experience when subjected to stress.

Comparing some of my own feelings above, I felt helpless over many of the situations.
I felt positive about my exams because I knew I had studied hard and knew I felt the pressure as a motivator.
However, some of the other situations I felt inadequate, I felt ugly and useless, and I felt weak and incompetent in my role and fearful of what I could do without my job.
I definitely felt I had nothing to look forward too and I know I sank lower into depression with no interest in life. But, at the same time, I felt angry and irritable, which caused further conflict and further problems, which made everything worse still.

How stress can affect an individual.

Short-term stress can cause short-term anxiety and physical symptoms like ‘butterflies in the stomach’, feeling sweaty and clammy, digestive problems and increased heart rate. All these can be positive signs but when these symptoms continue over a period of time, they can cause more problems.
Constant digestive problems can cause long-term damage.
Short term heart rate increased could exaggerate into palpitations and irregular heart problems and blood pressure problems.
Headaches and migraines can become daily, as with other aches and pains, leading to taking regular painkillers, of which the side effects can cause more physical problems, and so the cycle continues.

What internal and external demands in life may result in stress?

Internal

Internal factors could include how we choose to live and think, as whole.
Having a negative mind-set will result in stress, especially with constant worrying or having anxiety about things of which someone has no control.
Not eating and drinking well, and ‘choosing’ to eat a poor diet, taking drugs or drinking alcohol could all be considered to be internal stressors as they are generally something someone can control if they choose.
Having an illness or disability could be considered an internal stressor, especially if it is one which is impeding on quality of life in some way.
Not actively seeking help and respite from the internal stressors could be considered a choice and something over which someone has control.

External

External demands could be to do with the environment in which someone lives. Stressful living conditions could mean someone cannot relax and calm down, whether that’s the person’s own household, poor living conditions for instance.
Other environmental external factors could even be to do with living in a polluted atmosphere, or suffering regular outside noise such as living near busy motorways or flight paths.
The demands of a job could be considered to be an external factor, but so could not having the ability to work, or be able to find work.
Having poor access to adequate healthcare could be considered to be an external factor.

Tracey is available for a no-obligation chat to see how we could work together on 01889 808388 or [email protected]

Coping with unexpected boulders

Quartz boulder

Coping with unexpected boulders

Sometimes, boulders can help you focus, regroup and rediscover what is important to you. But, they can also cause stress, anxiety and depression, if not managed and you learn ways to cope with them.

So, what are boulders?

Things like:

Illness – both short-term and long-term

Death of a loved one.

Unexpected financial outlays, ie for significant items breaking in the home or business

Debtors not paying

Marriage break up

Suddenly losing ‘me time’

Loss of work

Sudden overwhelm

Children leaving home

Children moving back home

You getting in your own way

What simple coping strategies could you put in place?

In no particular order, you could try:

Wine and chocolate! (please don’t do these long term)

Acceptance and acknowledgement

Meditation

Comforting yourself and being kind to yourself.

Reward yourself and others.

Exercise

Seek the opportunity from the situation

Looks at the end result, make a plan of action and break into small, baby steps

If something the same or similar has happened before, learn from it by thinking about what you did last time.

Delegate and outsource tasks, so you can focus on you and your recovery.

Know that the situation will not last forever.

Forgiveness of yourself and others.

Show gratitude of the past and other present situations.

Talk to someone! Even, seek professional help! There is no shame in it.

Regular self-care helps in the long term and perhaps lower the impact of boulder situations.

Tracey of PlumEssence is a therapist, hypnotherapist, mental health first aider, stress management consultant and mentor, who helps people to manage and cope with boulders thrown at them. Tracey also runs workshops about Managing and Coping with Stress and Anxiety, which are suitable for support groups and the workplace.

For a no obligation chat, so see if I can help you, please call 01889 808388 or 07803 399594 or email [email protected]

Grief – the loss of a loved one

Grief and Loss

Of all the trials we face in life, the loss of a loved one may be one of the hardest to endure, much less overcome. During these dark times, the worst within us rises and threatens to overwhelm, but while we are at our worst, we are also at our best.

Our unique strengths appear as we fight to persevere.

Grief is universal, but understanding the particular challenges faced by different personalities, may help us prepare for the inevitable and cope with the irreversible.

Grief, sadness and depression are all emotional states that drain a person’s energy and stated to be one of the biggest causes of stress. Once we get past the anger of losing someone, these feelings follow closely behind and in no particular order, or over a specific time span. During times of grief, we don’t seek pleasure and we don’t enjoy life. Our energy for such matters usually evaporates during mourning. The energy depletion is often intense and we sometimes hear phrases like, “I don’t know how I’m going to go on with my life.”

For some people, the death of a loved one is a death of possibility, future adventures, shared goals and dreams, all gone. The only thing left is fading memories. Grief wounds us all, but for some, the hurt is more visceral than most, and they may find loss hardest to accept.

Some people believe that death can give some relief from a life full of hardship.

Some people realise that they are “very afraid” to die.

Some people are not content with the fact that everyone has to die.

Some people start to think about how short life really is.

Some people start to worry about the possibilities of death-inducing events like future wars.

On the whole, many people love happy endings, but more than that, they love that happiness doesn’t need an ending. Death is final, and it serves as a slap in the face to people’s soft-hearted optimism. This is why some people may struggle more than most at foraging meaning out of the chaos of grief.

Drawing upon Resilience

As terrible as grief is, as heavy as it lies on our shoulders, grief is very rarely in a hurry to leave us. Eradicating that pain would mean people ridding themselves of the person they once loved. They may find themselves revisiting old memories for comfort – but instead drawing up pain.

With their inability to ignore their emotions or to forget their loved one, the question must be asked: How do some people deal with their grief? How do they avoid being consumed by it?

Healthy mourning allows people to pass through their exhausting sadness, to accept their loss and then to arrive at a “new normal”.

For some, they may need more private time than usual to rebuild their reserves following a tragedy, but they should be careful not to turn this into isolation.

Some would do well to remember that although there may be a strange comfort in the company of ghosts, living people must take precedence.

Because of their nature, some people have remarkable resilience and an uncanny ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Even in the darkest of times, some people find ways to be hopeful that life can be beautiful again, and it’s this hope, no matter how small, they should cling to as they find their way out of grief.

Effective grief counselling is mostly about giving people permission to deal with death in the way that suits them best.

Whatever your personality type, when you face a loss, give yourself permission to do whatever it takes to get through the experience in your own way. And be generous enough to allow others to grieve in their fashion even if it doesn’t feel quite right to you.

Has a loss left you feeling like a shadow of your former self? Or did you find strength, even in your sorrow? Please share your thoughts with me so I can help others in future.

This piece of writing has been adapted from a piece published by The 16Personalities Team at 16personalities.com

PlumEssence Therapies and Training can offer a range of natural therapies to help you cope with, and manage grief, whether that’s a safe space to talk, aromatherapy, reiki, crystal therapy, meditation and mindfulness or NLP and hypnotherapy. No obligation chat’s are always offered to see if we can work together.

Contact [email protected] or call 01889 808388 or 07803399594.

Drivers help for sitting all day

Drivers: Pain, Stress, Tension, Low-Moods – they all affect everyone at some point in their lives. Everyone has different levels of tolerance. As far as I’m concerned, there is not a one-size fits all approach to treating any of these concerns. It’s why I use a range of therapies and treatments, mixing and matching them within the same treatment session if possible, to treat the root cause, not just the symptoms.

From what I have experienced with drivers, they:

Sit all day,
Have muscular and skeletal problems,
Suffer pain and irritability,
Have a poor diet and lack hydration.

The pain, diet and job leads to tiredness.

Add tiredness to pain and irritability, and they tend to take that home with them.

This causes tension at home, which can lead to anger and frustration.

Add this all together, and you suffer STRESS!

You can start to make small daily changes to ease your own symptoms.

Eat Your Water

Delivery drivers and driving instructors especially, appear to be quite poor at staying hydrated. They tend to not want to drink water in order to reduce the need for using the loo. My advice is to eat your water to stay hydrated.

Watermelons, cucumbers, strawberries, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, celery, green & yellow peppers, cauliflower – all are over 90% water.

Grapefruit, baby carrots, cantaloupe melon – 90% water.

Bananas – only 74% water but high in potassium which is an important electrolyte needed to ease dehydration.

It’s easy to make salads and soups using these ingredients (no added salt though)

Reduce Pain – while at work

Ensure your seats are comfortable for you!

Do NOT sit on wallets, phones, or have anything else in your back pocket. It puts your spine out of alignment.

Face forward.

Knees slightly higher than hips.

Back against car seat.

Small in-car ankle and ham strings exercises, shoulder rolls and head and neck exercises will all help to east tension.

Consider how you are working on laptops and phones, while ‘not working’

A small irritant can lead to a big pain later! Do not ignore them!

Small regular breaks.

Move as much as you can.

Walk around the car.

Stretch!

Moving stimulates blood circulation, bringing nutrients and oxygen to your spines and muscles.

Reduce pain – when not at work

Stand as much as you can! Move as much you can! Get your glutes working!

Have spine & muscle massage treatments (helps you to relax and switch off too!)

Reduce Stress, Tension and Burnout.

Ensure you switch off!

Be strict with your hours.

Set boundaries – and stick to them.

Have a ‘finishing work’ routine.

Have fixed bed time & routine.

Diarise ‘me time’.

Relax.

Have massage treatments.

Practise meditation & mindfulness.

Exercise.

Become aware of when you are stressed. Monitor your breathing and posture. Listen to your mind and body.

Talk to someone.

Eat well. Take time out. Meditate. Breathe properly. Massage. Exercise. Set boundaries. Sleep well.

I love treating pain, stress, depression and anxiety using a range of natural therapies including spinal correction (Dorn Method), various massage techniques, hypnotherapy, NLP/Empowerment Coaching and well as other treatments to help you relax and switch off.

Workshops available for meditation and mindfulness, understanding stress and anxiety, stress management and techniques to switch off.

I can make your mind and body feel better again. Let’s have a chat and see how. 01889 808388 [email protected] plumessencetherapies.co.uk

What is Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

What is hypnosis? What is it not? What is it good for?

Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis interpretation

Hypnosis is a scientifically proven procedure to produce a desired specific outcome, and one of positive change.

Hypnosis is about allowing the mind to slip into a deep state of focused un-consciousness and relaxation and being, and feeling, safe. It is within this safe place that the mind can accept altered thought processes.

Hypnosis is accepted by the medical profession.

Therapeutic outcomes – Hypnotherapy is a therapy using hypnosis. How?

Paul McKenna states “Hypnosis allows us to talk directly to parts of the body and mind, which are not under conscious control. Incredible as it may seem, in hypnosis we can actually persuade the body to behave differently, even though our conscious mind has no means of directing that change”.

Hypnosis can be used as a therapeutic tool, to tap into the subconscious mind and transform areas of your life.

It can change how you think, feel and behave by considering how we use our mind and language and how we allow others to influence us.

During a hypnotherapy session, the physical body calms, relaxes and generally feels better, sending signals and messages to the brain, which results in the mind feeling better and relaxing even further. A wonderful situation to be in, with the whole process reducing stress, allowing the physical body to use its energy to encourage healing and boosting the immune system, generally improving health and well-being.

It is considered that virtually anyone can be hypnotised, although like many things, some people can be more easily hypnotised than others.

Whilst being hypnotised, people are in control and can terminate the session should they want to.

Fears of use

It appears people are sceptical, and even fearful, of hypnosis because of the ridicule element by stage hypnotists and how it has been portrayed in the media. I am not someone who believes in laughing at someone else’s expense. I’m a therapist, of course I’m not going to make you behave like a chicken!

Some people are also afraid of hypnosis for fear of unearthing something that shouldn’t be unearthed, or having something lingering that shouldn’t be lingered. With the hypnotherapy sessions I conduct, there is often no need to delve into the past. Although client’s may offer their background during consultation, I believe the sessions are about moving forward. In fact, one client thanked me for specifically for NOT focusing on the cause of her anxiety.

Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy – What it is not

Hypnotherapy is not an instant or miracle cure, or fix, to a problem.

Hypnotherapy is not about altering the memory or removing memories. It is also not about going to sleep, falling asleep or being asleep.

Hypnosis is not about a person losing control, of either their mind or body. This could be a perception that could be attributable to stage hypnosis. Stage Hypnosis, in my opinion, is not an acceptable nor ethical form of entertainment, as I feel it devalues the power of the process.

Conclusion:

Hypnosis is achieving a deeply relaxing state of mind and body, which enable the body and mind to calm, unwind and heal. It should be an effective and pleasant experience.

Hypnosis can be a powerful tool.

For full benefit, hypnotherapy can be used to help you, while you, the conscious person, takes actions alongside the hypnotherapy sessions, for a desired outcome, which is usually one of positive change.

Some consider Traditional Hypnosis to have a partial success rate because it is not very effective for people who are critical or analytical of the hypnosis process. To some extent, the belief of hypnosis is required in order for it to have a beneficial outcome.

If you want to try hypnotherapy to reduce stress and anxiety, improve self-esteem or confidence, or to stop smoking or lose weight, then why not make contact for a no-obligation chat?

Contact Tracey on [email protected] or call 01889 808388

Distortions, Deletions and Generalisations

A Devon view

Distortions, Deletions and Generalisations – What do you say, without thinking that could be causing your own stress, low mood, depression and anxiety?

In only a couple of days last week, I noted how people spoke to me and posts they put on social media. There was a pattern and I considered some of the things said could be continuously contributing to people’s low moods, anxiety and stress levels.

Stress is a silent killer. Regular low mood can be linked to depression. Simple things that can cause YOU stress, that YOU can actually do something about, TODAY!

Stop comparing your inside with other people’s outside!

If other people’s social media posts make you feel less worthy, stop reading them!

Distortions and Generalisations examples: “Everyone is doing better than me” “Everyone else can afford this/that” “All my friends are in a relationship” “Everyone else can afford a holiday/car/eat out” “Everyone else has lovely children”

Action: Stop going on social media. If you use it for business, stop scrolling and stop noting only the good things being said. Focus on the good things going on in your life. There will be some, I can assure you.

Stop focusing on the negatives in your life. Focus on the positives!

Distortions and Deletions: “I can’t afford (insert something really cheap and basic here)” “I don’t have ……” “I never get what I want” “I always make bad decisions” “I can never get things right”

Action: Get someone to help you go through your income and expenses with you and see where you can make savings. You don’t have to be on the TV programme Live Well for Less to sort your finances out. You probably can afford things if you made savings elsewhere. Work out the difference between ‘wants’ and ‘needs’. You need to be brutal with yourself. Ask someone to pick you up on the things you say. Speak to someone.

Get your work/life balance sorted!

This means different things for different people. If you believe you have no time for friends, family or you, then make time!

Distortion and Deletions examples: “I never have any time for me” “I work all the time” “I have to work evenings and weekends” “I have to stay late” “I have to take work home” “I never get to go out” “I have to do everything for my kids/partner”

Action: Again, get someone to work with you to see what you are spending your time on. Implement your own time analysis, recording all that you do with every minute of your day. Be honest! Do you need to ask for help to do your work? Can you outsource?

A busy fool is not a productive fool. Regular work breaks will only make you MORE productive.

Put dates in your diary for yourself, your friends, your family – and stick to it!

On the whole, the answer is: Ask for help. There is no shame in it and, usually, people are more than willing to help. Strong people ask for help – they do not think they can do it all.

Don’t wait to burn yourself out, or have that breakdown, before you realise you need to make some changes.

Men – why avoid the ‘taboo’ subjects?

Charlie Chaplin .. As I began to love myself

On a daily basis, I tend to get a great bunch of clients. My clients tend to come to me because they are suffering some form of physical pain and I attract many clients that are suffering from anxiety, stress or depression.

That’s great because I do state I aim to help people suffering from pain, stress, anxiety and depression.

There are days when I have all female clients, days when I have all male clients and days where there is a mix.

A few weeks back, I had all female clients and all had come to me suffering from depression.

The last client of the day stated “there seems to be a lot of ladies suffering depression at the moment”. I totally agree with her, and although the opposite appears to be the case, men are more prone to suffering from depression than women. More women are signed off sick with stress related conditions, as opposed to men, but it is men to more prone to committing suicide than women. (Recent statistics state that of suicides committed in the UK, 75% of them are men).

Also, at recent workshops, based on mental health awareness, coping with pressure and stress, recognising depression and other similar titles, there were all women in attendance. Why is that? Why are men not attending the workshops? Why are men not seeking help?
It appears there are many reasons why men are not prone to not admitting to suffering from stress or depression, which is a shame when there is a lot of help available and many natural therapies which can help. Why is that? What are those reasons? I would love to know and aim to understand the reasons. I keep everything private and confidential.
To help all my clients, the sessions include diet advise, colour therapy, aromatherapy body massage and holistic facials, empowerment coaching and on-going mentoring sessions. (Mentoring does not always have to be work-focused).

So, I’ve had a thought ……… If I ran men-only workshops about the ‘taboo’ subjects, would they attend? If the answer is yes, then I will arrange some. Guys, please let me know. And ladies, if you could ask the men you know, can you let me know what they say please?
If you would like to explore natural therapies as a way of helping you cope with pain, stress or depression, you only have to call for an informal chat, or book a 1-2-1 session with me, which can be done via my website www.plumessencetherapies.co.uk if I’m not able to take your call.

I look forward to hearing from you [email protected] 01889 808388 or 07803399594

Move out of your comfort zone

January, so far, has been a time of some stress for me. Yes me, she who helps people to reduce their stress and to manage their stress, managed to get stressed herself. It was all about awards.

But, only for a while because I was able to put into practise, some of my own teachings.

The cause of my stress was having to promote myself. Mainly to talk about myself and tell others why I deserve to win some awards. Yikes!

I have some exciting and nerve-racking moments coming up in February, because I was able to push myself out of my comfort zone.

Firstly I wanted to be part of a programme called iGrow, a high-level intensive programme available to a small number of businesses with aspirations to grow. As this is a Government funded programme, available to only a select few, there was an application process to complete. I had to make a written application, a tweet and a video, basically stating what I wanted and why I was worth investing in. You can see the video on YouTube here or copy this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4HZJEdjXqA&list=PLIp36bRnR6iRHTNhRQSc0dOH81aW84p7A&index=2

Secondly, I have been nominated for a business award – Networker of the Year. As part of the second stage of the nomination process, I had to write, in 400 words, why I deserve to win, including giving examples of how I have successfully connected people and which networking groups I run. (Strange how the above video mentions networking quite a lot and yet it was made before the nomination was announced).

Naturally, I had moments of doubts when applying for the above two awards, especially when I saw who else was applying for the growth award and who else had been nominated for the business award. But, I’ve had my Belief Change and Empowerment Coaching training. I am also a certified practitioner and all I had to do was put my training into practise. It was time to put the ‘What If’ scenario into action. And, as is always good in these cases, I called upon some business buddies to support me. After-all, if you want to achieve your goals and dreams, you have to ask for help.

Do you have thoughts and beliefs that stop you from getting in the way of achieving what you want, your goals, dreams and aspirations?

If so, give me a call. I would love to take you on the journey of changing your beliefs, changing your life for the better for good and then continuing the journey with on-going mentoring. After all, if you watch my video for my iGrow application, you’ll see that’s one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made – not having a mentor earlier.

Please leave your thoughts and comments below.

I’ll buy the cuppa if you want to meet for a chat to see how I can help you. Just contact me on [email protected] or call 07803399594

Show you care

At some point, everyone will suffer either, or all, of pain, stress and depression.

Many will not admit to these, potentially causing themselves more problems.

Giving a gift voucher to those you care about and who you see suffering, can help those people to open up and receive the benefits of natural therapies and personal support from a therapist.

Not just for Christmas or birthdays, but at any time, give a gift that cares as much as you do.

I supply gift vouchers for any value.

On the vouchers you can either specify the monetary value, the amount of time bought or specify the actual treatments or sessions you want the receiver to have.

It’s easy really. All you do is call me on 01889 808388, 07803 399594 or email [email protected]