Mobile phones becoming a major addiction

Mobile phones becoming a major addiction

Emma would be just another Spanish teenager, if it were not for her mobile phones. She has nine of them, and develops a severe anxiety if she has to enter a place where they have no coverage.

She has forsaken her friends for the sake of unknown chat partners to whom she sometimes sends more than 200 messages in one night. Her mother says she has not slept sufficiently for three years, runs up huge phone bills, and has become irritable and prone to lying.

Psychiatrists say mobile phone addiction is an obsessive-compulsive disorder which looks set to become one of the biggest non-drug addictions in the 21st century.

Mobile phone addiction can totally isolate its victims, ruin them economically and even turn them into criminals.

In Spain, a country of 41 million people which has nearly 35 million cell phones, users are estimated to spend more than €500 million ($A824.33 million) on unnecessary mobile phone costs annually.

The majority of the addicts are teenagers, whose shyness and low self-esteem make them succumb to aggressive publicity marketing a means to get in touch with people without having to meet them.

"I liked to chat on the mobile phone, because the chat partners told me nice things that I did not hear in real life, as I am a bit fat," one female former addict told the daily El Pais.

"Mobile phones give young people prestige," Barcelona psychologist Andres Gonzalez explains. "The person who gets the most messages is the most valued."

Many Spanish teenagers get their first cell phone at the age of 13.

Young addicts may spend so much time making calls, receiving messages and logging into the internet that they fail at school and drop out.

Addicts can easily run up phone bills of €800 ($A1320) a month, and some turn to crime to pay them.

One Spanish psychologists' association, for instance, has received hundreds of queries about mobile phone addictions, the daily La Vanguardia reported.

Gonzalez estimates that up to 15 per cent of Spanish teenagers sleep with their mobile phones at hand to be able to answer messages at night.

Addiction should be suspected if a person feels an irresistible need to use the cell phone for more than half an hour daily.

Mobile phone addiction is not that different from any other type of addiction, ranging from drugs to compulsive shopping, according to El Pais.

A person's vulnerability to addictions "depends largely on a small number of genes", addiction specialist Carlos Alvarez-Vara said. "If a parent is obsessive-compulsive, the children have a 30 per cent chance of developing similar characteristics."

The modern addictions to mobile phones and the internet are, however, paradoxical in that their victims use communication technologies to become isolated.

In societies where family ties have loosened and urban solitude has increased, people become addicted to "long-distance communication because they no longer find human relations through traditional means," psychologist Jaume Almenara said.

Adolescents get access to technologies, but little advice about how to use them, Gonzalez said.

Spanish specialists treat mobile phone addictions with three-month therapies. Experts stress that addictions can sometimes be pre-empted, if parents or teachers spot them early.

SELF MEDICATION IS DNGEROUS TO HEALTH

SELF MEDICATION IS DNGEROUS TO HEALTH




Not-so-vital vitamins



A multi-vitamin in the morning. A couple of vitamin C tablets to ward off the cold that's going around. A fish oil supplement before going to bed. Countless urban Indians are picking up vitamins sold over the counter like they would purchase almonds or flax seeds as a health-fix. What many don't realise is that they may be doing themselves more harm than good. Sheebani Banga isn't ill, but she pops a multi-vitamin pill without fail every morning. "When I am not taking the pill, my legs ache and I feel weak. I think everyone needs a multi-vitamin after 40, " says the 50-year-old homemaker, adding that her kitty circle and building friends take supplements, too. While post-menopausal women like Banga do need calcium daily, do they need any of the 23 other vitamins and minerals, be it copper or magnesium, that the pill contains? Not unless there is a deficiency, say doctors. But most people don't bother consulting a doctor or going through any tests.



SO CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR AND FOLLOW HIS ADVICE.



SELF MEDICATION IS DNGEROUS TO HEALTH



(http://www.timescrest.com/life/notsovital-vitamins-7089)

Experts have said that millions of consumers might be wasting their money on multi-vitamin supplements, as they do nothing for health.


Researchers spent more than six years following 8,000 people and found that those taking supplements were just as likely to have developed cancer or heart disease as those who took an identical-looking dummy pill.

And when they were questioned on how healthy they felt, there was hardly any difference between the two groups.

Many users fall into the category of the 'worried well' - healthy adults who believe the pills will insure them against deadly illnesses - according to Catherine Collins, chief dietician at St George's Hospital in London.

"It's the worried well who are taking these pills to try and protect themselves against Alzheimer's disease, heart attacks and strokes," the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

"But they are wasting their money. This was a large study following people up for a long period of time assessing everything from their mobility and blood pressure to whether they were happy or felt pain," she stated.

Multi-vitamin supplements have become increasingly popular as a quick and easy way of topping up the body's nutrient levels.

But a series of studies have indicated that, for some people, they could actually be harmful.

While the evidence that vitamins can do harm is still limited, the latest study seems to confirm that many people are at the very least taking them unnecessarily.

A team of French researchers, led by experts at Nancy University, tracked 8,112 volunteers who took either a placebo capsule, or one containing vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc, every day for just over six years.

They assessed the state of their health at the beginning and end of the trial, taking a quality of life survey designed to measure everything from mobility and pain to vitality and mental health.

When researchers analysed how many in each group had gone on to develop serious illnesses over the years, they found little difference.

In the supplement group, 30.5 per cent of patients had suffered a major health 'event', such as cancer or heart disease. In the placebo group, the rate was 30.4 per cent.

There were 120 cases of cancer in those taking vitamins, compared to 139 in the placebo group, and 65 heart disease cases, against 57 among the dummy pill users

Am I Depressed???????

Am I Depressed?

Everyone has experienced a period of sadness during his or her lifetime. Sometimes these feelings of sadness are in response to something that has happened such as the loss of a loved one or a difficult time at home. But, there is a difference between feeling sad in response to a life event and experiencing a clinical depression. Depression is not just “feeling blue” or feeling grief after a loss. Depression is a feeling of sadness that lasts for many weeks and does not go away. Depression interferes with your daily activities and often includes changes in sleep, changes in appetite, and a general loss of energy.

Depression is a common illness that affects millions of Americans each year, but it is a treatable illness. Depression is not a personal weakness. You cannot develop depression from reading sad stories or catch it from someone else. Depression is caused by an imbalance in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Men and women of all ages, genders, races, ethnic groups, and economic status can experience depression. Famous people including actors, successful business people, and politicians have spoken out about their experiences with late-life depression.

The symptoms of depression in older persons differ from those experienced by young persons or those in midlife. The signs that an older person may be suffering from depression include the inability to sleep, memory problems, confusion, withdrawal from social situations, and irritability. People in their later years are less likely to appear sad or talk about a depressed mood. This is partly because depression feels different to a person in late life and also partly because an older depressed person will often not talk about symptoms of sadness. Sometimes the most common symptom of depression in an older adult is persistent complaints about vague aches and pains along with frequent demanding behavior.

There is evidence that depression can run in families and that the risk of depression can be passed from parents to children. However, it is not known yet how genetic factors work or how important they are. Other risk factors for late-life depression include gender (women are more likely to suffer from late-life depression than men), being single (especially widowed), and lack of friends (living alone at home with few outside contacts with other people).

As we age, there are life events that can trigger a clinical depression. Physical health conditions such as heart attack, stroke, hip fracture, bypass surgery, and macular degeneration are often associated with the development of depression. Hormonal changes in women have been shown to trigger depression. Increased alcohol or drug use (including over-the-counter medications) may lead to a clinical depression. Certain medications prescribed by your physician or a combination of medications can cause a clinical depression. Medicines prescribed for pain, high blood pressure, and arthritis; hormonal treatments; and tranquilizers can result in a change in brain chemicals to trigger a clinical depression.
The loss of a loved one may lead to a depression. Most individuals grieve when a loved one dies, but if that grief becomes profound and lasts a long period of time, it can evolve into a clinical depression that requires treatment.

Symptoms of Depression
Symptoms of depression usually last over two weeks.
• Disturbed sleep (sleeping too much or too little)
• Changes in appetite (weight loss or gain)
• Physical aches and pains
• Lack of energy or motivation
• Irritability and intolerance
• Loss of interest or pleasure
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Difficulties with concentration or decision making
• Noticeable restlessness or slow movement
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
• Changed sex drive

Risk Factors for Late-Life Depression
• Changes in medications or newly prescribed medications for other illnesses
• Recent loss of a loved one
• Presence of another illness or after a stroke, bypass operation, or hip fracture
• Severe and chronic pain
• Living alone and feeling socially isolated
• Hormonal changes
• Family history of depression
• Alcohol or drug abuse or misuse

If you have become worried that you feel “low” or your changes in sleep patterns are disrupting your normal activities, you should seek help. Some of your friends may have told you that your feelings are normal for someone your age, or that depression is expected as you experience physical limitations in life. This is not true. Depression is not a normal function of aging. When you feel depressed over a period of time, it is time to seek treatment.
You don’t have to experience all of the symptoms of depression to have depression—people experience depression differently. One person may lack energy or motivation, sleep excessively, and gain wait. Another person may become anxious and lose sleep. Older adults usually experience more problems with sleep and are less likely to have a depressed mood or guilty preoccupation (that is common in younger persons with depression).
If you have thoughts of suicide or death, contact someone immediately, whether it be a medical professional, a spiritual advisor or a loved one. The most important thing to remember about suicidal thoughts is that they are symptoms due to the chemistry of your brain—they are not signs of personal weakness nor will they go away by themselves. Don’t let embarrassment stand in the way of communicating how you feel.
Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form)
The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a screening tool designed specifically for older adults who may need further evaluation for depression. It is a valuable and reliable measurement tool used in clinical practice and research programs. If you suspect you are suffering from depression, you can answer the questions yourself. If you have a score of five or more points, you should contact your health care provider for further evaluation.
Instructions: Choose the best answer for how you have felt over the past week.
YES NO
1. Are you basically satisfied with your life?
2 Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?
3 Do you feel that your life is empty?
4 Do you often get bored?
5 Are you in good spirits most of the time?
6 Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?
7 Do you feel happy most of the time?
8 Do you often feel helpless?
9 Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing things?
10 Do you feel that you have more problems with memory than most?
11 Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now?
12 Do you feel worthless the way you are now?
13 Do you feel full of energy?
14 Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?
15 Do you think that most people are better off than you are?

Scoring: Score one point if you answered NO to Questions 1, 5 7, 11, 13. Score one point if you answered YES to Questions 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15. Total your points.
TOTAL

બચપણનો ગુસ્સો - ગુસ્સો - લાગણીનો વિષ્ફોટ

બચપણનો ગુસ્સો - ગુસ્સો - લાગણીનો વિષ્ફોટ


કેટલાક બાળકોને કોઇ વાર ગુસ્સો - લાગણીનો વિસ્ફોટ નથી થતો, જ્યારે બીજાઓને ૪૦ વર્ષની ઉમર સુધી થાય છે. માતાપિતા પાસે એક અવસર છે જ્યારે તેના તરુણ બાળકોને ગુસ્સાથી બચવાના યોગ્ય રસ્તાઓનો સામનો કરતા શીખવાડે છે.

ગુસ્સો સમજવો

ગુસ્સો એક સામાન્ય લાગણી છે, જેનો આપણે જીવનભર અનુભવ કરીએ છીએ. લક્ષ આપણુ ગુસ્સાને નાબુદ કરવાનુ નથી પણ નિરોગી રસ્તાઓનો સામનો કરતા શીખવાનુ અને લાગણી વ્યક્ત કરવાનુ છે. એક શિશુ દુનિયામાં આવ્યા પછી ગુસ્સાની ક્ષણો સ્પષ્ટ રીતે દર્શાવે છે. જોરથી ચીસો પાડીને, ઘૂંઆપૂંઆ થઈને, મુઠ્ઠી બંધ કરીને અને ચહેરો લાલ કરીને તમને બતાવે છે કે તે નવી દુનિયાની ગોઠવણ સાથે ખુશ નથી.



જે વખતે તે ચાલવાનુ શિખવાના વર્ષોના તબક્કામાં દાખલ થાય છે, તે કદાચ તેનો ગુસ્સો બતાવવા લાગણીના વિસ્ફોટનો ઉપયોગ કરે છે. શાળાએ જતા પહેલા બાળકો નવી ઘડેલી શબ્દકોષનો ઉપયોગ તેમનો ગુસ્સો વ્યક્ત કરવા માટે કરે છે. ભાવનાઓના વિસ્ફોટો કરીને જેવા કે " તમે હવે મારા મિત્ર નથી" અથવા "હું તમને ધિક્કારૂ છુ." આવા અનુભવો સુખદ હોતા નથી પણ બાળકના પ્રારંભિક વર્ષો દરમ્યાન તે એક સાધારણ વિકાસનો ભાગ છે. જીવનના પહેલા પાંચ થી છ વર્ષો દરમ્યાન તમારા બાળકનો ક્રોધની સાથેનો અનુભવ સારી પેઠે પોતાના માટે અથવા પોતાના ભવિષ્ય માટે એક ઉચિત રસ્તાથી ક્રોધને સંભાળવાની ક્ષમતાને પ્રભાવિત કરે છે.



ગુસ્સાના કારણો

ધ્યાન દોરવા માટે

કેટલાક બાળકો તેમના તરફ ધ્યાન ખેચવા માટે ગુસ્સાને એક માધ્યમ તરીકે વાપરે છે. બધા બાળકોને તેમના તરફ ધ્યાન દોરાવવાની ઇચ્છા હોય છે પણ કેટલાકને બીજા કરતા વધારે જરૂર હોય છે અને તેઓને તે મળે નહી ત્યાં સુધી ઘણા નારાજ રહે છે. એક વાર તેમને ખબર પડે કે આ પદ્ધતી પ્રતિક્રિયા લાવે છે, ત્યાં સુધી તેને વાપરવાનુ ચાલુ રાખશે ભલે તેનુ ધ્યાન નકારાત્મક હોય.



પોતાનો માર્ગ મેળવો

ગુસ્સાનુ સૌથી સામાન્ય કારણમાંથી એક છે જ્યારે આપણને જોતુ હોય તે મળે નહી. આ ચાલુ થાય છે જ્યારે બાળકો વધારે પડતા થાકી ગયા હોય છે અથવા વધારે પ્રેરિત હોય છે. તેમની સામે જોર નથી તેના ઉપરનુ નિયંત્રણ કરવા માટે કે તેમની ભાવનાઓને કેવી રીતે વ્યક્ત કરે.



અનિશ્ચિત પરિસ્થિતીઓ

બીજુ સામાન્ય ગુસ્સાનુ કારણ બાળક માટે આવી પરિસ્થિતીમાં અનિશ્ચિત હોવુ છે. આ બાળક માટે સામાન્ય અને નિરોગી છે કે તેઓ તેમને આપેલ સીમાનુ પરિક્ષણ કરે. તે એટલા માટે કરે છે એ જાણવા કે આ સીમાઓ સાચી અને વિશ્વસનીય છે. માતાપિતા બાળકને નમીને બતાવશે કે તેમની વર્તણુકને ચકાસવી તે તેમની માંગોને પુરી કરવાનો સફળ માર્ગ છે. બાળકો તેમનુ સ્વાતંત્ર અને સ્વતંત્રતાનો પ્રયોગ કરી શકશે તેમની સીમાઓની પસંદગી કરીને. તે કોઇ વાર તમને નિયમો આપવાનુ નહી કહે પણ નિયમો અનિયંત્રિત દુનિયામાં વ્યવસ્થા અને સલામતી લાવશે.



ઉદાહરણ દ્વારા ગુસ્સો

જ્યારે બાળકો વયસ્કરને તેમનો ગુસ્સો વિનાશકારી રીતથી વ્યક્ત કરતા જુએ છે, ત્યારે તેઓ પણ એવુ કરવાની સંભાવના ધરાવે છે.



કુંટુંબના મુદ્દાઓ

પરિસ્થિતીઓ જે બાળકોની નિયંત્રણની મર્યાદાની બહાર છે, જેવી કે તેમના માતાપિતાના છુટાછેડા, તમે પ્રેમ કરતા હોય તેનુ મૃત્યુ, ગરીબી, માંદગી અથવા શારિરીક અથવા લૈંગિક ભ્રષ્ટ્રાચાર, ઉંડા ઝડ ક્રોધનુ કારણ બને છે, જે ઘણા રસ્તાઓને ઊઘાડે છે.



ગુસ્સાને વ્યક્ત કરવાની યોગ્ય પદ્ધતિઓ

તમે તમારા બાળકને ગુસ્સો બતાવવા ઉચિત અને પસંદ કરવા લાયક રસ્તાઓ શીખવી શકો છો. બધા બાળકોને તેમની ભાવનાઓને વ્યક્ત કરવા અને સમસ્યાઓનો ઉકેલ લાવવાની જરૂર છે.



માર્ગદર્શન કરો

જ્યારે તમારા બાળકને ક્રોધનો વિષ્ફોટ ચાલી રહ્યો છે, ત્યારે શાંતીથી તેને જાણકારી આપો કે તેને નિયંત્રિત કરવા શેની જરૂર છે, દા.ત. "હું સમજી શકુ છુ કે તું ગુસ્સામાં છે અને આપણે સિનેમા જોવા બહાર જઈ શકતા નથી પણ હું તારા ગુસ્સાને બતાવવા દીવાલ ઉપર લાત નહી મારવા દઊ અથવા તેને બદલે આપણે કોઇક મુશ્કેલીનો ઉકેલ લાવવા કામ કરીએ".



સીમાની મર્યાદા બાંધવા

એક નાની ઉમરથી સીમાઓ સ્થાપો અને એક ધારી રીતે પ્રકાશિત કરો. બાળકોને તેમની પ્રક્રીયા માટે યોગ્ય રીતે પરિણામની જરૂર છે. તમારા બાળકને સમજાવો કે ગુસ્સાને અયોગ્ય રીતે વ્યક્ત કરવાની રીતે જેવી કે લાગણીનો વિસ્ફોટવાળુ આચરણ અથવા વિનાશકારી વર્તણુક તેને ત્યા નહી લઈ જાય જે તે ઈચ્છે છે.



મક્કમતાથી ઉભા રહો

ગમે તેટલુ મુશ્કેલભર્યુ અથવા તણાવપૂર્ણ હોય પણ તેની નકારાત્મક વર્તણુકમાં જવા દેતા નહી. બાળકો શીખવા માટે બહુ હોશિયાર છે કે ગુસ્સાનો વિસ્ફોટ માતાપિતા ઉપર દબાવ લાવશે અને તેઓ સરળતાથી સમર્પણ કરશે. દા.ત. એક બાળકને ગુસ્સાનો આવેશ આવે છે કારણકે તેની માતા તેને ઓરડો સાફ કરવાનુ કહે છે. તેણી તેને તેના ઓરડામાં જવાનુ કહે છે. જ્યારે તે ઓરડામાં છે, ત્યારે તેણી આગળ વધીને તેણી પોતે ઓરડો સાફ કરે છે. આવી રીતે બાળક શીખે છે કે તેના ગુસ્સાનો વિસ્ફોટ તેને સાફ કરવા ઓરડામાંથી બાહર કાઢે છે. એક બરોબર પ્રતિક્રિયા તેના ઓરડામાં જવા મોકલશે જ્યા સુધી તેનો ઓરડો સાફ કરવાની ઇચ્છા ન થાય અને પછી તેની ઉદારતાથી પ્રશંસા કરે જ્યારે કામ પુરૂ થયુ હોય.



મધ્યમતાનો પ્રભાવ

ટેલીવીઝન, વિડીયોની રમતો, સિનેમા અને સંગીત જે અનિયંત્રિત ગુસ્સાને પ્રદર્શિત કરે અને જે શક્તિશાલી પ્રભાવ તમારા બાળક ઉપર પાડે છે, તેનાથી સુરક્ષિત રાખો. માધ્યમ ઘણીવાર બાળકોને બતાવે છે કે હિંસાના માધ્યમથી ઝગડાનો ઉકેલ થાય છે. આ બાળકોમાં બતાવે છે કે હિંસા એક ગુસ્સો બતાવવાનો સામાન્ય રસ્તો છે. તેમને સમજાવો કે હિંસાનો સ્વીકાર કેમ નથી.



વ્યવસાઈક મદદ લ્યો

જો તમારૂ બાળક તેનો મિજાજ ગુમાવીને તીવ્ર ગુસ્સાના ચિન્હો પ્રદર્શિત કરે, લાગણીના આવેશથી પ્રવૃત પ્રતિક્રિયા કરીને અને વિનાશકારી વર્તણુક બતાવીને તો તેણે એક સ્વાસ્થયના વ્યવસાઈકની મદદ લેવી જોઇએ. ઉપચારનુ સામાન્ય લક્ષ જેમાં ગુસ્સાનુ સંચાલન, ક્રિયા માટે જવાબદારીઓ અને પરિણામની સ્વીકૃતીનો સમાવેશ છે

ડિપ્રેશનથી પ્રભાવિત સેક્સલાઈફ

ડિપ્રેશનથી પ્રભાવિત સેક્સલાઈફ




ડિપ્રેશન જ્યારે કોઈ વ્યક્તિના દિલોદિમાગમાં ઘર કરી જાય છે ત્યારે તે તેના જીવન પર જબરજસ્ત પ્રભાવ પાડે છે. તમારા રોજિંદાં કામ-કાજ, વાત-ચીત અને સેક્સલાઈફ બધાં જ પર ડિપ્રેશનની ખરાબ અસર પડે છે. સેક્સલાઈફનો ડિપ્રેશન સાથે વળી શું સંબંધ? પરંતુ હા! સંબંધ છે.



માનસિક તણાવથી ઘેરાયેલી વ્યક્તિ પોતાના પાર્ટનરની સાથે સ્વસ્થ સેક્સ માણી શકતી નથી અને આ વાત વિજ્ઞાન પણ સિદ્ધ કરી ચૂક્યું છે.



જો તણાવગ્રસ્ત વ્યક્તિ પોતાના પાર્ટનરને પોતાની નજીક આવવાની ના ભણી દે તો તે માત્ર સામેવાળાની ભાવનાઓને ઠેસ જ નથી પહોંચાડતી પરંતુ પોતાના તણાવને પણ વધારી નાખે છે. આથી યાદ રહે કે તમે કોઈ પણ બાબતને લઈને તણાવગ્રસ્ત હો તો પોતાના પાર્ટનર સાથે સેક્સ કરવાની ના ક્યારેય ન પાડશો. આવા સમયમાં તમારે પ્રેમ, હૂંફ, વિશ્વાસ અને ટેકાની જરૃર હોય છે, જેનો અનુભવ સેક્સ કરીને સરળતાથી મેળવી શકાય છે.



ડિપ્રેશનના સમયે શું થાય છે?

સામાન્ય રીતે ડિપ્રેશનમાં હોય ત્યારે લોકો સેક્સમાં રુચિ બતાવવાનું બંધ કરી દે છે. તેઓ વિચારે છે કે સેક્સ માત્ર મોજ-શોખની જ વસ્તુ છે, પરંતુ સત્ય તો એ છે કે સેક્સ તમારા આત્મવિશ્વાસને તો વધારે જ છે સાથે વ્યક્તિને તણાવગ્રસ્ત જીવનમાંથી સામાન્ય જીવનમાં ખેંચી લાવવામાં મહત્ત્વની ભૂમિકા અદા કરે છે.



ડિપ્રેશનમાં સરી પડયા પછી મોટાભાગના લોકો એવું વિચારતા હોય છે કે પોતાની સામાન્ય લાઈફમાં પાછા આવતા તેમને ઘણો સમય લાગશે. આ જ કારણ છે કે તેમની અંદર પોતાના પાર્ટનર પ્રત્યે પ્રેમ અથવા તો નજીક આવવાની ભાવના પણ ખતમ થઈ જાય છે. આવામાં જો પાર્ટનર જબરજસ્તી સેક્સ માટે ઉક્સાવતો હોય તો વ્યક્તિમાં ચીડિયાપણું પણ દેખાવા લાગે છે અથવા પાર્ટનરની ઈચ્છા પૂર્ણ કરવા માટે સંભોગ કરે તો પણ કોઈ પણ ભાવ કે આનંદ વિના.

પાર્ટનરે શું કરવું?

કોઈ પણ વ્યક્તિના ડિપ્રેશનમાં જતા રહ્યા પછી તેના પાર્ટનરની ભૂમિકા ખૂબ જ મહત્ત્વપૂર્ણ બની જાય છે. પતિ માટે પત્ની અને પત્ની માટે પતિ જ એવા સાથી છે કે તે પોતાના પાર્ટનરને ડિપ્રેશનમાંથી બહાર આવવામાં મદદ કરી શકે છે. જો તમારો પાર્ટનર પણ ઘણાં અંશે ડિપ્રેશ હોય તો તેને એકદમ જ સેક્સ માટે પ્રેરિત કરવો જોઈએ નહીં, આમ કરવાથી તે ચિડાઈ શકે છે. એ વાતનું ધ્યાન રહે કે તમે તમારા પાર્ટનરને પોતાની નજીક લાવવામાં સફળ થઈ જાઓ છો તો તે તેના માટે સૌથી મોટી અને અસરકારક દવા હશે, કારણ કે સંભોગ દરમિયાન ઉર્ત્સિજત થનારા હોર્મોન માનસિક તણાવને ઓછો કરવામાં મદદ કરે છે. આ માટે સૌથી પહેલાં તમે તમારા ડિપ્રેસ્ડ પાર્ટનરને એકાંતમાં લઈ જઈને બેસીને વાત કરો. તેને એ વાતનો અહેસાસ કરાવો કે જિંદગીમાં ઉતાર-ચઢાવ તો આવતા જ રહે છે. તેને યથાર્થ સાથે લડવા માટે તૈયાર કરો. તેને ખુશીઓ અને આનંદમાં વીતેલી એ ક્ષણોની યાદ અપાવો. વાત કરતાં કરતાં તેને ભેટી પડો. અહીં તમારો સ્પર્શ તમારા તણાવગ્રસ્ત પાર્ટનરને બદલી નાખશે. ધીરે-ધીરે ચુંબન અને ફોરપ્લે, પછી સંભોગ સુધીની સફળ નિશ્ચિતરૃપે તમારા પાર્ટનરને માનસિક રાહત આપશે.

PTSD=POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Introduction In our everyday lives, any of us can have an experience that is overwhelming, frightening, and beyond our control. We could find ourselves in a car crash, the victim of an assault, or see an accident. Police, fire brigade or ambulance workers are more likely to have such experiences - they often have to deal with horrifying scenes. Soldiers may be shot or blown up, and see friends killed or injured. Most people, in time, get over experiences like this without needing help. In some people, though, traumatic experiences set off a reaction that can last for many months or years. This is called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD for short. How does PTSD start? PTSD can start after any traumatic event. A traumatic event is one where we can see that we are in danger, our life is threatened, or where we see other people dying or being injured. Some typical traumatic events would be:  serious road accidents  military combat  violent personal assault (sexual assault, physical attack, abuse, robbery, mugging)  being taken hostage  terrorist attack  being a prisoner-of-war  natural or man-made disasters  being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Even hearing about an the unexpected injury or violent death of a family member or close friend can start PTSD. When does PTSD start? The symptoms of PTSD can start after a delay of weeks, or even months. They usually appear within 6 months of a traumatic event. What does PTSD feel like? Many people feel grief-stricken, depressed, anxious, guilty and angry after a traumatic experience. As well as these understandable emotional reactions, there are three main types of symptoms produced by such an experience: 1. Flashbacks & Nightmares You find yourself re-living the event, again and again. This can happen both as a "flashback" in the day, and as nightmares when you are asleep. These can be so realistic that it feels as though you are living through the experience all over again. You see it in your mind, but may also feel the emotions and physical sensations of what happened - fear, sweating, smells, sounds, pain. Ordinary things can trigger off flashbacks. For instance, if you had a car crash in the rain, a rainy day might start a flashback. 2. Avoidance & Numbing It can be just too upsetting to re-live your experience over and over again. So you distract yourself. You keep your mind busy by losing yourself in a hobby, working very hard, or spending your time absorbed in crossword or jigsaw puzzles. You avoid places and people that remind you of the trauma, and try not to talk about it. You may deal with the pain of your feelings by trying to feel nothing at all - by becoming emotionally numb. You communicate less with other people, who then find it hard to live or work with you. 3. Being "On Guard" You find that you stay alert all the time, as if you are looking out for danger. You can't relax. This is called "hypervigilance". You feel anxious and find it hard to sleep. Other people will notice that you are jumpy and irritable. Other Symptoms Emotional reactions to stress are often accompanied by:  muscle aches and pains  diarrhoea  irregular heartbeats  headaches  feelings of panic and fear  depression  drinking too much alcohol  using drugs (including painkillers). Why are traumatic events so shocking? They undermine our sense that life is fair, reasonably safe, and that we are secure. A traumatic experience makes it very clear that we can die at any time. The symptoms of PTSD are part of a normal reaction to narrowly avoided death. Does everyone get PTSD after a traumatic experience? No. But nearly everyone will have the symptoms of post traumatic stress for the first month or so. This is because they help to keep you going, and help you to understand the experience you have been through. This is an "acute stress reaction". Over a few weeks, most people slowly come to terms with what has happened, and their stress symptoms start to disappear. Not everyone is so lucky. About 1 in 3 people will find that their symptoms just carry on and that they can't come to terms with what has happened. It is as though the process has got stuck. The symptoms of post traumatic stress, although normal in themselves, become a problem - or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - when they go on for too long. What makes PTSD worse? The more disturbing the experience, the more likely you are to develop PTSD. The most traumatic events:  are sudden and unexpected  go on for a long time  you are trapped and can't get away  are man-made  cause many deaths  cause mutilation and loss of arms or legs  involve children. What about ordinary "stress"? Everybody feels stressed from time to time. Unfortunately, the word "stress" is used to mean two rather different things:  our inner sense of worry, feeling tense or feeling burdened. or  the problems in our life that are giving us these feelings. This could be work, relationships, maybe just trying to get by without much money. Unlike PTSD, these things are with us, day in and day out. They are part of normal, everyday life, but can produce anxiety, depression, tiredness, and headaches. They can also make some physical problems worse, such as stomach ulcers and skin problems. These are certainly troublesome, but they are not the same as PTSD. Why does PTSD happen? We don't know for certain. There are a several possible explanations for why PTSD occurs. Psychological When we are frightened, we remember things very clearly. Although it can be distressing to remember these things, it can help us to understand what happened and, in the long run, help us to survive.  The flashbacks, or replays, force us to think about what has happened. We can decide what to do if it happens again. After a while, we learn to think about it without becoming upset.  It is tiring and distressing to remember a trauma. Avoidance and numbing keep the number of replays down to a manageable level.  Being "on guard" means that we can react quickly if another crisis happens. We sometimes see this happening with survivors of an earthquake, when there may be second or third shocks. It can also give us the energy for the work that's needed after an accident or crisis. But we don't want to spend the rest of our life going over it. We only want to think about it when we have to - if we find ourselves in a similar situation. Physical  Adrenaline is a hormone our bodies produce when we are under stress. It "pumps up" the body to prepare it for action. When the stress disappears, the level of adrenaline should go back to normal. In PTSD, it may be that the vivid memories of the trauma keep the levels of adrenaline high. This will make a person tense, irritable, and unable to relax or sleep well.  The hippocampus is a part of the brain that processes memories. High levels of stress hormones, like adrenaline, can stop it from working properly - like "blowing a fuse". This means that flashbacks and nightmares continue because the memories of the trauma can't be processed. If the stress goes away and the adrenaline levels get back to normal, the brain is able to repair the damage itself, like other natural healing processes in the body. The disturbing memories can then be processed and the flashbacks and nightmares will slowly disappear. How do I know when I've got over a traumatic experience? When you can:  think about it without becoming distressed  not feel constantly under threat  not think about it at inappropriate times. Why is PTSD often not recognised?  None of us like to talk about upsetting events and feelings.  We may not want to admit to having symptoms, because we don't want to be thought of as weak or mentally unstable.  Doctors and other professionals are human. They may feel uncomfortable if we try to talk about gruesome or horrifying events.  People with PTSD often find it easier to talk about the other problems that go along with it - headache, sleep problems, irritability, depression, tension, substance abuse, family or work-related problems. How can I tell if I have PTSD? Have you have experienced a traumatic event of the sort described at the start of this leaflet? If you have, do you:  have vivid memories, flashbacks or nightmares?  avoid things that remind you of the event?  feel emotionally numb at times?  feel irritable and constantly on edge but can't see why?  eat more than usual, or use more drink or drugs than usual?  feel out of control of your mood?  find it more difficult to get on with other people?  have to keep very busy to cope?  feel depressed or exhausted? If it is less that 6 weeks since the traumatic event, and these experiences are slowly improving, they may be part of the normal process of adjustment. If it is more than 6 weeks since the event, and these experiences don't seem to be getting better, it is worth talking it over with your doctor. Children and PTSD PTSD can develop at any age. Younger children may have upsetting dreams of the actual trauma, which then change into nightmares of monsters. They often re-live the trauma in their play. For example, a child involved in a serious road traffic accident might re-enact the crash with toy cars, over and over again. They may lose interest in things they used to enjoy. They may find it hard to believe that they will live long enough to grow up. They often complain of stomach aches and headaches. How can PTSD be helped? Helping yourself Do .........  keep life as normal as possible  get back to your usual routine  talk about what happened to someone you trust  try relaxation exercises  go back to work  eat and exercise regularly  go back to where the traumatic event happened  take time to be with family and friends  drive with care - your concentration may be poor  be more careful generally - accidents are more likely at this time  speak to a doctor  expect to get better. Don't ........  beat yourself up about it - PTSD symptoms are not a sign of weakness. They are a normal reaction, of normal people, to terrifying experiences  bottle up your feelings. If you have developed PTSD symptoms, don't keep it to yourself because treatment is usually very successful.  avoid talking about it.  expect the memories to go away immediately, they may be with you for quite some time.  expect too much of yourself. Cut yourself a bit of slack while you adjust to what has happened.  stay away from other people.  drink lots of alcohol or coffee or smoke more.  get overtired.  miss meals.  take holidays on your own. What can interfere with getting better? You may find that other people will:  not let you talk about it  avoid you  be angry with you  think of you as weak  blame you These are all ways in which other people protect themselves from thinking about gruesome or horrifying events. It won't help you because it doesn't give you the chance to talk over what has happened to you. You may not be able to talk easily about it. A traumatic event can put you into a trance-like state which makes the situation seem unreal or bewildering. It is harder to deal with if you can't remember what happened, can't put it into words, or can't make sense of it. Treatment Just as there are both physical and psychological aspects to PTSD, so there are both physical and psychological treatments for it. Psychotherapy All the effective psychotherapies for PTSD focus on the traumatic experiences that have produced your symptoms rather than your past life. You cannot change or forget what has happened. You can learn to think differently about it, about the world, and about your life. You need to be able to remember what happened, as fully as possible, without being overwhelmed by fear and distress. These therapies help you to put words to the traumatic experiences that you have had. By remembering the event, going over it and making sense of it, your mind can do its normal job, of storing the memories away and moving on to other things. If you can start to feel safe again and in control of your feelings, you won't need to avoid the memories as much. Indeed, you can gain more control over your memories so that you only think about them when you want to, rather than having them erupt into your mind spontaneously. All these treatments should all be given by specialists in the treatment of PTSD. The sessions should be at least weekly, every week, with the same therapist, and should usually continue for 8-12 weeks. Although sessions will usually last around an hour, they may sometimes last up to 90 minutes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a way of helping you to think differently about your memories, so that they become less distressing and more manageable. It will usually also involve some relaxation work to help you tolerate the discomfort of thinking about the traumatic events. For further information, see our factsheet on CBT. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing) is a technique which uses eye movements to help the brain to process flashbacks and to make sense of the traumatic experience. It may sound odd, but it has been shown to work. Group therapy involves meeting with a group of other people who have been through the same, or a similar traumatic event. The fact that other people in the group do have some idea of what you have been through can make it much easier to talk about what has happened. Medication SSRI antidepressant tablets will both reduce the strength of PTSD symptoms and relieve any depression that is also present. They will need to be prescribed by a doctor. This type of medication should not make you sleepy, although they all have some side-effects in some people. They may also produce unpleasant symptoms if stopped quickly, so the dose should usually be reduced gradually. If they are helpful, you should carry on taking them for around 12 months. Soon after starting an antidepressany, some people may find that they feel more:  anxious  restless  suicidal These feelings usually pass in a few days, but you should see your doctor regularly. If these don't work for you, tricyclic or MAOI antidepressant tablets may still be helpful. For more information, see our factsheet on antidepressants. Occasionally, if someone is so distressed that they cannot sleep or think clearly, anxiety-reducing medication may be necessary. These tablets should usually not be prescribed for more than 10 days or so. Body-focussed Therapies These can help to control the distress of PTSD. They can also reduce hyperarousal, or the feeling of being "on guard" all the time. These therapies include physiotherapy and osteopathy, but also complementary therapies such as massage, acupuncture, reflexology, yoga, meditation and tai chi. They all help you to develop ways of relaxing and managing stress. Effectiveness of Treatments At present, there is evidence that EMDR, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and antidepressants are all effective. There is not enough information for us to say that one of these treatments is better than another. There is no evidence that other forms of psychotherapy or counselling are helpful to PTSD. Which treatments first? The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines suggest that trauma-focussed psychological therapies (CBT or EMDR) should be offered before medication, wherever possible. For friends, relatives & colleagues Do .......  watch out for any changes in behaviour - poor performance at work, lateness, taking sick leave, minor accidents  watch for anger, irritability, depression, lack of interest, lack of concentration  take time to allow a trauma survivor to tell their story  ask general questions  let them talk, don't interrupt the flow or come back with your own experiences. Don't .......  tell a survivor you know how they feel - you don't  tell a survivor they're lucky to be alive - they'll get angry  minimise their experience - "it's not that bad, surely ..."  suggest that they just need to 'pull themselves together'.

Sleep Problems in Childhood:

Sleep Problems in Childhood: Introduction: One of the most common problems in toddlers and young children is sleeplessness. The child may have difficulty settling to sleep, or wakes in the night and wants a parent. Very young children often fear being left alone at night. This ‘separation anxiety’ is normal at a young age. Difficulties in sleeping are due to a number of reasons such as napping too much in the daytime, bedtime fears and bedwetting. You might find that when your child gets very tired, they get irritable, aggressive or even overactive not sleepy. Older children and teenagers can also have problems with sleeplessness. They might find it hard to sleep if they are worried, drinking too much tea or coffee, cola or energy drinks, or are using illegal drugs. Some will just get into the habit of going to sleep very late. After a while, they find that they can’t get to sleep at an earlier time. It is important that your child has a regular sleep routine: • Decide on regular times for going to bed and getting up. • Stick to these times. Sometimes, difficulty in sleeping is part of a severe Depression. Daytime sleepiness: This can simply be caused by your child not getting enough sleep at night. Reasons for this might include: • Going out too late with friends, working or studying •Stress or worry. •Less commonly, loud snoring can wake a child this is called obstructive sleep apnoea. It can be caused by large tonsils and adenoids at the side and back of the throat. Taking them out can sometimes help. • Some young people sleep too much if they are depressed. • Drug or alcohol misuse may be a factor. • Narcolepsy is an unusual condition that causes unpredictable attacks of sleep during the day. People with narcolepsy may also have sudden attacks of weakness – this is called cataplexy. Nightmares: Most children have nightmares occasionally. These are vivid and frightening dreams. Children will usually remember the dream, and will need to be comforted so that they can get back to sleep. Nightmares can also be caused by worry, by nasty accidents, by bullying and by abuse of any kind. You can help by encouraging your child to talk about the dream or draw a picture of it. This will help you to find out the cause of the upset and work out what help or support your child needs. Night terrors: Night terrors most commonly affect children between the ages of 4 and 12 years. They are completely different from nightmares or anxiety related dreams. Unlike nightmares, they happen to young children an hour or two after falling asleep. The first sign is that your child is screaming uncontrollably and seems to be awake. In spite of appearances, your child is still asleep. They will not be able to recognize you, will be confused and unable to communicate, and it is usually hard to reassure them. It is best not to try and wake them, but sit with them until the night terror passes, usually after about 5 minutes. Try not to feel upset yourself. It can be very distressing to see your child so disturbed, but they will not remember it in the morning. Children usually grow out of this. Sleepwalking: Sleepwalking is similar to night terrors, but instead of being terrified, the child gets up out of bed and moves around. The main thing you can do to help is to make sure that they don’t hurt themselves. You may need to take practical precautions, like using a stair-gate, making sure that windows and doors are securely locked, and that fires are screened or put out. This is also something that children tend to grow out of. Why sleep problems matter: Sleep problems are very common. Most children’s sleep problems happen only occasionally. They are not serious and get better on their own with time. If they don’t, you need to take them seriously. As well as being upsetting, they may interfere with your child’s learning and behaviour. There may be an underlying health problem, physical or mental. Where can I get help? There are some simple things you can do to help your child sleep better: • Develop a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine with your child. This should start with quiet time to help your child to wind down – for example, a bath followed by a short bedtime story before you say goodnight. This helps children to settle, and should end with your child falling asleep without the need for you to be with them. •It is important to be loving, but firm, about when it is time for your child to settle down for the night. When your child cries out, it is important to be sure that they are not wet, ill or in pain. It is best to do this quickly, while still comforting and reassuring them. Don’t spend too much time with them or take them into your bed, because this will reward them for being awake. • A dummy can help to comfort young infants who wake needing to suck. Once you have weaned your child on to solid foods, it is best not to give them a bottle or dummy at night if they wake and can’t find it, they will probably start crying. A cuddly toy or favourite blanket can often help young children to cope with their separation anxiety. Your general practitioner (GP) or health visitor can offer advice and help. If things don’t get better, it is worth thinking about asking for a specialist opinion from a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist. This will help to find out exactly what the problem is and how it can be best resolved.