Blog

तनाव शरीर की स्वभाविक प्रक्रिया है। कभी-कभी शरीर को सामंजस्य बिठाने के लिए खुद में बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं, जिससे तनाव हो सकता है। अब सवाल ये उठता है कि तनाव कब अच्छा या बुरा होता है?

तनाव महसूस करना बिल्कुल सामान्य है। छात्र अपनी परीक्षा को लेकर तनाव में रहते हैं, वयस्क अपने काम की डेडलाइन के कारण परेशानी महसूस करते हैं। तनाव सबको अलग-अलग तरह से प्रभावित करता है। आमातौर पर तनाव को दो भागों में बांटा गया है, एक अच्छा तनाव और दूसरा बुरा तनाव।

अच्छे तनाव या गुड स्ट्रेस की बात करें तो यह आपको अपने लक्ष्य को हासिल करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करता है और परिस्थिति के अनुकूल खुद को नियंत्रण करने में मदद करता है। जबकि बुरा तनाव यानी बैड स्ट्रेस आपको न सिर्फ हतोत्साहित करता है बल्कि ऐसे तनाव की वजह से आप खुद को नियंत्रित भी नहीं कर पाते। जब बुरे तनाव का असर आपके शरीर पर बहुत ज्यादा होता है तो आप स्थिति से आसानी से उबर नहीं पाते बल्कि खुद को फसा हुआ महसूस करते हैं। इसे आप कह सकते हैं कि तनाव की स्थिति में आप खुद को हारा हुआ और दुनिया का सबसे कमजोर व्यक्ति समझने लगते हैं।

अच्छा तनाव क्या है

इस बात को जानें कि बिना तनाव के आप एक अच्छी जिंदगी नहीं जी सकते। तनाव आपको सजग रहने में मदद करता है। तनाव की वजह से आप खतरों को पहचान पाते हैं और सही समय पर सही प्रतिक्रिया कर पाते हैं। तनाव होने पर मस्तिष्क में एक रसायन जारी होता है जो शरीर को तनावपूर्ण माहौल में प्रतिक्रिया करने के लिए सजग करता है। इसके अलावा तनाव के कुछ फायदे भी हैं। यह आपके हार्ट वर्क को बेहतर करता है और आपके शरीर को संक्रमण से बचाता है।

बुरा तनाव क्या है

जब शरीर तनावपूर्ण माहौल का सामना नहीं कर पाता तब अत्यधिक तनाव होता है। तनाव का भावनात्मक असर हफ्तों तक रह सकता है और आपकी प्रतिरक्षा प्रणाली को कमजोर कर सकता है, आपको उच्च रक्तचाप हो सकता है, कमजोरी हो सकती है और यहां तक कि हृदय रोग भी हो सकता है।

तनाव के लक्षण

यह समझना काफी मुश्किल होता है कि आपको तनाव है या नहीं लेकिन कुछ संकेतों और लक्षणों के जरिए आप इसका पता लगा सकते हैं। इनमें से कुछ संकेत इस प्रकार हैं-

• ध्यानकेंद्रित करने में समस्या होना या अपने काम को पूरा न कर पाना।
• आसानी से सर्दी-जुकाम होना।
• मूड अच्छा न होना।
• भूख न लगना।
• बहुत ज्यादा नींद आना या फिर सोने में दिक्कत महसूस करना।
• चीजों को नजरंदाज करना।
• पेट खराब होना।

तनाव से संबंधित धारणा

कुछ लोग तनावपूर्ण माहौल में बहुत अच्छा काम करते हैं जबकि कुछ लोग तनावपूर्ण स्थिति में परेशान हो उठते हैं। सवाल है ऐसा क्यों है? दरअसल तनाव से संबंधित सबकी अपनी अवधारणा है। यही कारण है कि तनाव पर हर व्यक्ति अलग-अलग तरह से प्रतिक्रिया करता है।

यह आप सभी जानते हैं कि स्थिति दो तरह की होती है, तनाव रहित या तनापूर्ण। यह व्यक्ति की अपनी सोच पर निर्भर करता है कि किस चीज को किस तरह देखना है और उस पर किस तरह प्रतिक्रिया करनी है। व्यक्ति खुद को अच्छा करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित कर सकता है और अच्छा काम कर सकता है या फिर ठीक इसके उलट व्यक्ति परफाॅर्मेंस का प्रेशर महसूस करता है। नतीजतन उसे हारने से डर लगने लगता है। 

तनाव के प्रति आपकी अवधारणा यह तय करती है कि तनाव को आप कैसे महसूस करेंगे। अतः तनावपूर्ण स्थिति में आशावादी रवैया रखें, तनाव को सकारात्मक रूप से समझें। यकीनन तनाव से निपटने में, उबरने में आपको मदद मिलेगी।

डॉ। प्रेरणा कोहली के बारे में अधिक जानने के लिए, यहां क्लिक करें

सभी चित्र सौजन्य Pixabay

Stress is a normal response that our body has to change that requires adjustment and is a normal part of our lives. So, when does this response become good or bad?

We feel stressed, and it is perfectly normal. Students feel stressed about exams, adults about their work deadlines. While stress affects everyone in different ways, there are two major types of stress: good stress and bad stress.

In general, good stress or eustress is short-term and it motivates you to achieve your goal, you tend to have control over yourself in the situation. Whereas, bad stress or distress, long term or short term is accompanied by a defeatist attitude because people tend to lose control over the situation. The extreme effects of distress over the body makes it difficult to cope with the stressful situation.

Stress is good

Without stress our body will never be alert in the occasion of dangers, producing a fight-flight response. When the brain perceives stress, it releases chemicals that alert the body to work against the stressful situation. Besides, there are certain health benefits related to a little bit of stress. It improves your heart work, protects your body against infections.

Stress is bad

Extreme stress or distress is when the body is unable to cope with the demands of a stressful situation. Emotional effects of distress can stay around for weeks and it weakens the immunity system, cause high blood pressure, anxiety, fatigue, and even heart diseases.

Signs of distress

It may be difficult to understand if your body is in distress or not. But there are signs that your body gives when you are struggling with too much stress.

Some of the signs could be:

Unable to concentrate or complete a task

Catch cold easily

Irritable mood

Loss of appetite

Trouble falling asleep or sleep too much

Avoidance

Upset stomach

Perception of stress

Some people work a lot better under stress and some completely crumble under a stressful situation. So why is that? A situation perceived as good or bad, due to the perception of the individual. How we perceive stress indicates how great an impact it is going to have on us.

A situation can be both, distress and eustress. This depends on how we perceive, when the person may be motivated to inspire themselves to learn new things and do well (eustress) or when you feel pressured to perform and feel afraid of failure (distress). The goal here is to challenge the stressful situation enough to indicate hope and active engagement.

A change in perception can show a change in how you feel under stress. So, try and keep a hopeful outlook even in a stressful situation and you are less likely to feel distressed. 

To learn more about Dr. Prerna Kohli, click here

All images courtesy Pixabay

Niksen is an increasingly popular Dutch relaxation technique, it’s is a form of mental rest from day to day stress. It is the practice of doing nothing on purpose, without any purpose.

Millennial generation suffers from frequent burnouts caused by expectations of increasing efficiency and production and jumping from one task to another. Burnout leads to total exhaustion of energy physically, mentally and emotionally.

Niksen in Dutch means ‘to do nothing’ and therefore, is the practice to be idle. We think we are idle all the time but no, scrolling through social media or watching some TV series is not Niksen. It is the practice of slowing it all down and experiencing a calm lifestyle. 

It is great for people who find meditation and mindfulness frustrating. Meditation demands to concentrate on certain objects in the surrounding whereas, mindfulness demands to be aware of everything happening around you in detail. In contrast, Niksen is to be aware of the surroundings but not do anything and let the mind wander.

Benefits of Niksen:

• It helps reduce stress and chances of burnout

• When sitting idle, insight increases and so does creativity

• It helps in decision making with the help of ‘aha moments’

• Curtails the aging process

• Soothe anxious feelings

• Improves immunity

How to practice Niksen?

We are used to doing some things or the other. Hence, it is not easy for us to practice it and we are uncomfortable when we do so.

It is recommended to take out a few minutes every day and an evening after long workdays without any obligations to do anything and just relax. Allowing life to run its course, free from any obligations for just a moment is a vital part for our mental wellbeing.

To learn more about Dr. Prerna Kohli click here

All images courtesy Pixabay

Not surprisingly half of all the cigarettes consumed are by those who are suffering from some type of mental health issue. This could be Stress, Anxiety, Depression or an Addiction.

Any attempt to stop smoking would require resolving the root cause of this problem. Before we understand how the Psychologist will help you resolve these mental health problems lets understand what they are:

Stress:

Demystifying one point is that Stress is not completely bad, without stress some of the most brilliant ideas would never have happened, but stress is the body’s way of reacting to a situation over which you perceive not to have control. Stress in life is inevitable, what is of importance is how you react to that stress.

Anxiety:

Is a feeling of uneasiness, worry, or nervousness about an event in the future. Anxiety would about the result of an exam or the outcome of a job interview etc. Again in life there will be anxiousness about many facets, the key is how you react to these feelings of things not being in your control.

Depression:

Depression is a feeling of complete despondency and dejection. However, every human being will suffer from various levels of depression during their life. No one person will live life without depression. Depression can be diagnosed to be mild or severe or some degree in between these extremes. How an individual reacts to depression is within their control, or with the help of counseling or even anti-depressant medication. Drugs, alcohol or nicotine is never an answer to depression.

Addiction:

Addiction is a complex condition of the mind, where a person is unable to control their need for a particular substance or activity. Moreover, one may be addicted to food, exercise, sex, alcohol, drugs or nicotine. This chronic dysfunction of the brain where it needs “rewards” and is indicated by a lack of self-control is resolved with counseling and other techniques that an experienced Psychologist is equipped with.

In conclusion, if you or someone you love needs to stop smoking cigarettes, it is best advised to consult with an experienced Psychologist who will treat the problem at the root cause instead of treating it superficially.

~*~*{ooo}*~*~

About the Author: Dr. Prerna Kohli – Ph.D. is a practicing psychologist for over 25 years. She is a four-time gold medal winner for her academic excellence. She has been awarded by the President of India for her contributions to Mental Health. Learn more about Dr. Prerna Kohli.

All pictures courtesy of Pixabay.

So you have finally made a decision to stop puffing, but you don’t know how. Your loved ones, be it your parents, spouse, children or any other well-wisher has convinced you to stop inhaling smoke for your own health and the health of those who are suffering your second-hand smoke.

One of the easiest ways to stop smoking is to receive counseling for your addiction. Immediately your defense mechanism kicks in, counseling is so expensive, I don’t have the time for counseling, I don’t need help from an outsider to learn how to stop smoking, I can do it on my own. So let’s answer each of these questions.

Counseling is so expensive: Yes it costs money to receive counseling from a good and experienced Psychologist. The cost will be much lower than what you spend on cigarettes alone, and the improvement to your health will be priceless.

I Don’t have time for counseling: Yes counseling takes time, you drive from your home or office to the Psychologist’s clinic, you spend time with the Psychologist. This takes time, but if you continue to smoke you will ruin your health, and you will be waiting for appointments with cancer specialists, lung specialists, and other procedures at hospitals.

I don’t need outside help for quitting smoking: Who are you fooling? You are only fooling yourself. If quitting smoking was so easy, or your will power was so strong you would have quit smoking a long while ago. It is best to recognize your limitations and seek specialized help from an experienced Psychologist who is an expert in helping you overcome your addiction.

There are no two buts about it, smoking will kill you. The death will be painful and unpleasant. If you don’t want to quit smoking for yourself, at least do it for your loved ones. They don’t deserve to see you suffer from all the illnesses that are caused by smoking.

~*~*{ooo}*~*~

About the Author: Dr. Prerna Kohli – Ph.D. is a practicing psychologist for over 25 years. She is a four-time gold medal winner for her academic excellence. She has been awarded by the President of India for her contributions to Mental Health. Learn more about Dr. Prerna Kohli.

All pictures courtesy of Pixabay.

We all know that smoking is not good for one’s health, but then why do people continue to smoke?

Why do people pay tobacco companies to help them die a slow and painful death? In one word it can be termed as an addiction.

First of all, why do people smoke or get addicted to smoking? Here are a few most popular reasons.

Expression of freedom: At one time it was considered that women who smoke were amoral. To counter this opinion, the tobacco companies ingrained it into the psychic of women that smoking made them liberated and independent.

Sophistication: Movies along with tobacco companies made smoking a statement of style and sophistication. Media portrayed it such that only elite smoked.

Celebrity endorsement: Top movie stars, athletes and extremely good looking models would smoke. People wanted to emulate their role models and followed them into smoking.

Weight loss: There is a belief, which might partially be true that smoking leads to weight loss. Smoking a cigarette gives you a feeling of being satiated. Fortunately, there are many other healthier options to feel satiated.

Military influence: In the past and even today in certain countries soldiers are provided cigarettes free or highly subsidized. Soldiers smoked to alleviate boredom.

Peer Pressure: Particularly, in teenage boys and girls consider it to be hip and cool to be smoking cigarettes. What starts as a style statement quickly evolves into an addiction.

Coping Mechanism: Some people believe that smoking a cigarette helps them in dealing with stress and anxiety. This may be a fact. However, there are far better alternatives for dealing with stress and anxiety such as exercise and meditation.

In conclusion, smoking cigarettes is an addiction that will definitely lead to an unpleasant death. Today there are many remedies available to smokers to quit smoking.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author: Dr. Prerna Kohli – Ph.D. is a practicing psychologist for over 25 years. She is a four-time gold medal winner for her academic excellence. She has been awarded by the President of India for her contributions to Mental Health. Learn more about Dr. Prerna Kohli.

All pictures courtesy of Pixabay.

How the Easing the Burden of Care

When someone is ill, be it mentally or physically it becomes very difficult for them to manage everything. But, it is more of a difficult task for the caretaker of the person who is ill. It becomes a challenging and a very stressful task for the caretaker to care for the ill person.

Thus, for the caretaker, it can also increase the chances of extreme stress, anxiety or even depression. Also, due to this stress, the caretaker slowly moves towards a burnout. But, the caretaker is always hesitant to hand over their duties, because they feel like, no one else would be able to handle the situation efficiently as they could.

Thus, below are some tips on easing the burden of care for the caretaker:

Recharge:

While taking care of someone, it is absolutely okay to take breaks for oneself. One needs to keep their own well-being in mind while taking care of the other person. Many people refuse to take breaks because after that they feel guilty. But, there is nothing to be guilty about because it is for your own as well as their good.

Setting Limits:

While taking care of someone we often forget our own limitations. We tend to give our hundred percent to everything we do. Thus, end up creating an impossible to-do list. It’s very important to know our own limits and know what we can do and we cannot. You can also take help of a family member if you are not able to set up limits for yourself.

Proper sleep and Eating:

Often more than less, the most effective area for the caretaker is their eating and sleeping habits. While taking care of someone, we forget to take care of ourselves and many nights we are not able to sleep or usually skip a meal in a day. But, it is very important to eat a balanced meal and have proper sleep while taking care of someone. It keeps your energy recharged and you are able to focus on the caregiving process better.

Rotation of Shift:

One of the best ways to ease the burden of care is to take turns. If someone is sick, it doesn’t become your sole responsibility to take care of the person. If each family member takes turns to take care of the person then it doesn’t feel stressful for only one person. Thus, dividing the tasks and able to help the person in a much better way.

Explore other Options:

It becomes very difficult for someone to hand over the caring duties of the loved one. But, it is important to look at professional options. Also, while searching for professional options it is better the take the choices of the person receiving the care. It is also very important to do a thorough background check on the agency you are hiring. Hiring a professional will ease your stress levels and it will also help the person who is receiving the care.

It is a difficult and a very stressful task to take care of your loved ones. But, it is okay to take some respite for yourself. But, if you think you are taking care of someone and are feeling very stressed, it is not a bad option to look for professional help for yourself.

Learn More about Dr Prerna Kohli

At the end of an emotionally abusive relationship, you might feel burdened with inconclusive thoughts and overwhelming emotions. And this is absolutely acceptable. While your friends and family feel thankful for your break-up, they may not be able to understand the emotional turmoil going inside your heart and brain. But you should not carry on with toxic relationship

Let’s look at the end of an abusive relationship from the following aspects:

Mental and Emotional Health

Post being dumped by the person whom you considered to be your one and only soul mate, you might go through a roller coaster of emotions. The symptoms are often similar to that of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
There might not be any visible scars to make it obvious that you are hurt, but the pain is similar to that of a physical injury.
You might even show obsessive behaviour, where you constantly think about your ex, your break up.
The more the covert these symptoms are, the more damage it can do to your emotional stability and the ability to overcome the trauma.

Attachment or Addiction?

When two people part their ways in a healthy way, they may feel hurt, but it does not take a psychological toll on the two persons involved. They eventually move on as a practical approach was followed to end the relationship. But in an emotionally abusive relationship, the break up isn’t as clean, rather the abuser is manipulative.
The victim might not recognize signs and develop an emotional attachment towards them.
You might re-run the events from your relationship in your mind several times throughout the day or read the old conversations.
Being with a person becomes addictive over a period of time, like an unhealthy attachment. It might seem normal and justified to the victim, but this really hampers their emotional well-being.

Moving on!

The first step to moving on is to accept your situation. A few things that you could do to overcome such a relationship are:

Take care of your emotions

Repairing your emotions requires great efforts. When you get abandoned by someone you are so addicted to, it affects your self-esteem negatively. You can feel used and discarded, angry and isolated. Instead of suppressing and being a home to them, it is very important that you accept and acknowledge your emotions. Recognize how you feel. You can make a journal about the same. If you feel like crying or screaming, do that.

Pen it down

At times it might be difficult for you to talk about your broken relationship and what all you went through in that. But it is important to express in order to heal. To start with, you can keep a journal of your thoughts and emotions, gradually opening up about it verbally.

Confide in Close ones

You can always count on your close friends and families when you feel the need to. Surround yourself with people. Avoid isolating yourself with your thoughts all the time.

Cut-off contact with the abuser

You need to cut off the contact with your ex. Being vulnerable might drag you to his doors, but this would be unhealthy. It is important to maintain a distance when you part ways with your abuser. You may feel a pull towards him, but remember it is unhealthy for your mental health if you remain connected to him.

Do not stalk

It may seem like a nice idea to keep a tab on your ex by stalking him on social media or keeping in touch with his friends. But this is not ideal. You must focus investing your time and energy on yourself rather than knowing about his whereabouts.

Postpone important decisions

In the times, when you are emotionally unstable it is better to not make any important life decisions, which may affect your future. Let yourself feel and heal for some time first.

Practice patience

For a physical injury to heal there is always a defined set of medicines and treatment method that one follows and gets okay. But for an emotional setback, you need to give yourself time. Every person takes their own time to get out of an emotional difficulty. Focus on your progress.

Seek Help

If your emotions are way out of control and are hindering with your daily life, you should seek for some professional help. In the times, when we are vulnerable, we might not be in the right state of mind to be emotionally efficient. A bit of advice about situation and lifestyle changes by a professional can prove to be of great help.

Are you in a healthy relationship? Have you been a victim of emotional abuse?

Call us for 15 minutes of free counselling at +91=9069069069.

Most of the teachers your child meets are good or even excellent. But, there are few teachers who will try and bully your child. Sometimes, some teacher considers and take their responsibilities as a post of power. Hence, they start bullying your child and try to make them work very hard. Moreover, even when the work is completed, your child is yet scolded than praised for his/her efforts. you shoul take Psychologist advice.

These days physical bullying is still reported, but emotional and psychological bullying is hard to report. Also, most of the parents ignore the plea of the child when the child complains about their teachers. Hence, the reports of bullying teacher are not much. But, it becomes your duty, as a parent, to listen to what your child is saying and take action against the bully.

Thus, below are few tips to Handle a Bully Teacher:

Keep a Record:

Whenever your child comes to you with a complaint about the same teacher, it is important to note down the date, time and what has been said. If other students are also involved or are seeing what is happening, it is a good option to take their account also. Also, if the bullying is extreme, or physical or cyber, then it is best to report to the authorities.

Support Your Child:

It’s important to reassure your child every time they come to you for help. An important part of parenting is to listen to your child and understand their plea. If you see signs of depression or anxiety in your child then please don’t hesitate to visit a psychologist.

Build Self-Esteem:

When your child is going through the experience of bullying, especially by a teacher, their self-esteem starts taking damage. Hence, it is important to boost their self-esteem constantly. You can do that by encouraging their strengths, and activities they like to do. Thus, talking about things other than bullying will help them take their mind off the situation.

Talk to Your Child before a Visit:

As bullying is a serious matter, directly discussing it with the teacher(s) might have repercussions. Hence, it is important to talk with your child first before visiting the teacher. Also, talking and informing about your visit will prepare your child emotionally.

Go through the Chain of Commands:

Before directly going to the highest authority, it is important to follow the chain of commands. A person who is present at the situation will be able to understand the situation better, rather than the person who doesn’t know what is happening. Also, if you directly approach the people who are at the top, they might ask who has sent you to them, or who have you already talked to.

Request a Meeting with the Teacher:

It is important to meet the teacher directly. This way, you will be able to listen to their side also. Also, refrain yourself from shouting, accusing or getting angry. It is important to handle the situation as a mature adult. Also, if you are ready to listen to the teacher’s side the person will be less defensive as they will understand that you are open to perspectives.

Take your Complaint higher if necessary:

Many times, the teacher will resort to blaming, justifying or even not acknowledging the situation. At this point, you can always approach the higher authorities, with all your documentation. If you see, that the principal is also supporting the teacher then take the case to the members of the board.

Do not Let the Bullying continue:

If you see, that even the board members are not taking any action, or not doing anything to help you can always opt for legal actions. Meanwhile, it is advisable to take your child out of the situation and consider a transfer of schools.

Bullying is a serious offence and leaves a huge impact in a child’s life. Hence, it is important to not let this matter go unchecked. Bullying cannot stop without intervention. If you feel that it is still continuing, then it is best to take legal actions and transfer your child to a different school.

Also, if you feel that your child is suffering from any kind of bullying, it is important that you take him to a mental health professional. This is because bullying can have severe repercussions in a child’s mind.

To Learn More about Dr Prerna Kohli

Sometimes it happens with all of us that we start feeling headaches but when we get it checked, we do not find a reason for the headaches. This type of a headache usually goes away as our stress levels go down. But, when the headaches become persistent and you do not find any reason for the headaches, it might be that you are suffering from Somatoform Disorder.

What is Somatoform Disorder?

Somatoform disorder is a mental illness where the person feels physical pain and even shows the symptoms of the physical pain and yet it happens because of psychological factors. People who are suffering from this illness, usually are suffering from anxiety disorder as well.

People who are suffering from this disorder will believe that they have a severe medical condition. Hence, they will start taking different medical tests, and they will keep on doing them. They will be constantly worried about their condition, but all the physical test will show the negative results. Which, then causes them a lot of anxiety. But, it is also important to note that the symptoms the person is showing are real. Thus, the pain the person is feeling is real. Hence, they are not faking it.

Types of Somatoform Disorder

There are several types in this form of illness. Below are few of the types:

Somatization Disorder:

In this, the person usually feels severe pain or neurological symptoms. Thus, the person will complain of a headache or fatigue. The person can show digestive symptoms, i.e. abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting etc. Also, the person can show sexual symptoms, i.e., facing a lot of pain during sexual activity, loss of desire for sexual activities, extreme pain during periods for women.

Hypochondriasis:

In this, the person starts to believe that minor symptoms in their body are because of major issues. Thus, if a person is hearing grumbling noise from his stomach, they will start to believe that they have stomach cancer. Hence, the minor issues start seeming major issues to the person.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder:

The person starts to feel that there is a flaw in the way they look. Thus, they become obsessed with that flaw within them and start worrying about it. The flaw they are worried about might be a very minor flaw or it is even possible that the flaw doesn’t actually exist. But, they will be constantly worried about their physical appearance. Most common concern for people are, they are having excessive hair loss and are going bald, or they are gaining a lot of weight, or the size or shape of their eyes, nose, breasts etc.

Conversion Disorder:

The person starts experiencing neurological disorders even when there are no signs of any neurological disorder. The physical symptoms of the person will be similar to the neurological disorder but, there will be no proof of any neurological disturbances. Most common concerns are vision loss, hearing loss, paralysis of any part of the body, seizures or even thinking that you are pregnant.

This disorder becomes more serious when stress plays a factor. Hence, if you or someone you know is suffering from this disorder, then please visit a mental health professional immediately.

Learn More about Dr Prerna Kohli