The state of the Mind can be judged by the emotions of the individual. Increase in life style related diseases are mainly due to stress and strain in daily life. Signs and Symptoms of Stress and Anxiety: 1. Rapid heart beats 2. Faster breathing 3. Dryness of the throat and mouth 4. Increased Muscle tension 5. Perspiration 6. Trembling of the extremities (legs and hands) 7. A sinking feeling in the stomach 8. Goose pimples, etc; This is a sole characteristic of the emotional stress and in which body must prepare for action: Fight or Flight (Some of the above responses may also occur during joyful excitement or sexual arousal). The above sort of prolonged heightened emotional feeling (stress) can impair individual mental capacity and health also. 10 diseases due to Stress: Stress plays a major or minor role as a causative factor in the following 10 diseases. 1. Asthma 2. ACNE 3. Allergies 4. Migraine (headache), 5. High blood pressure, 6. Ulcers 7. Heart diseases 8. Obesity (due to over eating) 9. Pre-menstrual tension in females 10. Rheumatoid arthritis Factors which help to control the severity of the stress are: 1. Imagination power: If one is mentally prepared for an event which is going to occur, one is less affected by the stress. 2. Time factor: If we have financial problems and these may overcome in a short period of time, certainly one is less affected by present hardship. 3. Cognitive evolution: Two persons receive the same event in two ways, for example, Child birth. 4. Self confidence: Persons having more self-confidence face the challenges that occur in day to day life boldly. 5. Believe in God: Have faith in GOD (the Almighty), as faith moves mountains, as one gets mental peace, sincerely believing in GOD. … [Read more...]
World Mental Health Day – October 10
World Mental health day is observed every year on October 10 to raise awareness on mental health disorders. World Mental Health day theme for 2007 is “Mental Health in a Changing World: the Impact of Culture and Diversity”. World Mental Health Day was started by World Federation for Mental Health in 1992. Basic aim of this day is to educate people on mental health issues and their consequences. Family and friends play crucial role in the diagnosis and management of mental illnesses by providing proper support. But most of them have no idea on the symptoms of mental illnesses. We concentrate more on physical health but not on mental health. We can prevent most of the suicides if we have basic knowledge on the symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. According to World Health Organization, 25% of the world population is suffering from mental illnesses. But only 40% of these cases are diagnosed and treated. 1 million annual suicides are the result of these undiagnosed or missed cases. Most common causes for these suicides are depression, dementia, anxiety and Schizophrenia. There is a severe shortage of well qualified counselors and psychiatrists to diagnose and treat mental health disorders especially in developing countries. There is a heavy loss of work days and consequent productivity loss due to these mental illnesses. I hope Mental Health Day will create more awareness on mental health disorders among general population. … [Read more...]
Mental health disorders took toll on working days
Mental and physical illnesses are taking big toll on the working days of employees thereby causing monetary loss to companies. 50% of Americans on average is losing 32.1 working days a year due to 30 different illnesses. So, 3.6 billion days a year are lost due to these diseases of which mental illnesses account for 1.3 billion days. This was revealed in a survey by Harvard Medical School researchers. The results are published in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. Survey was conducted on 6,000 adults over age 18. Depression is the major mental illness while neck and back pain is the major physical illness that is responsible for loss of so many work days. But researchers have not given any guidance on monetary impact due to loss of these work days. Physicians failed to diagnose mental illnesses properly. 75% of elderly patients who committed suicide were consulted doctors just before one month. But doctors failed to diagnose the underlying mental illness and treat it. Depression is the major factor for these suicides. How many work days lost due to mental disorders? Depression took toll on 387 million working days while 214 million days lost due to social phobia. 113 million work days lost due to post traumatic stress disorder (POST), 110 million days lost due to generalized anxiety and 103 million days due to bipolar disorder. Panic disorders accounted for 101 million while substance abuse took toll on 93 million working days. Chronic conditions like cancer (71.5 million), heart attack (204 million), stroke (221 million), and vision loss are also taking so many work days of people. Governments should spend more money to study the diagnosis and treatment of the musculoskeletal conditions and psychiatric disorders. … [Read more...]
Suicide: preventable public health problem
Suicide is a preventable public health problem and occurs in all ages according to World health organisation and International association of Suicide prevention. Use of pesticides and other poisonous materials is the most frequent form of suicide. Treatment of mental health problems is another major factor in preventing suicides. Suicide Statistics: According to WHO, 3,000 people commit suicide every day in the world, one person every 30 seconds. For every 1 person that succeeds in their suicide attempt, there are at least 20 persons who fail in their attempts. Global suicide rate was up 60% over the last 50 years. Developed countries are reporting steep rise in mental health problems. Reported suicide is among the 3 leading causes of deaths in the 15-34 age group persons across the world. Outside Asia, 3-4 men died by suicide to each women who killed herself. Compared to men, women consult psychologists more often for their mental health problems. Most suicide victims are found in the above 60 age group. But, old age persons respond better to preventive measures than all other age groups. Suicide rates are low in elderly people especially in developing countries. Compared to developed countries, people of the developing world rarely consult doctors for the treatment of mental health disorders. These people have less awareness on mental health problems compared to physical health problems. Suicide is a health problem influenced by psycho-social, cultural and environmental risk factors. But it is the major preventable public health problem. Social and family help and psychologist intervention will help in preventing most of suicidal deaths. … [Read more...]
How to overcome Insomnia?
Insomnia or sleeplessness is on rise due to increase in stress levels thereby reducing productivity in daily life. Insomnia causes: 1. Taking too much coffee 2. Anxiety about the next day’s work 3. Financial and personal problems 4. Eating more chocolates 5. Taking alcohol etc How to avoid sleeplessness? 1. Avoid worrying unnecessarily. 2. Take a hot water bath before going to bed. 3. Listen to classical music 4. It is a good habit to read a book which you like before you go to bed 5. Take supper two hours before going to bed 6. Take hot milk one hour before going to bed 7. Avoid taking coffee etc at nights 8. Alcohol produces sleep for a few hours only, but afterwards it causes sleeplessness. 9. When your stomach is full at night, you should be able to sleep better. The process of digestion draws blood into the gastrointestinal tract and away from the brain. So you feel sleepy when you draw blood away from the brain (but stuffing your stomach is not healthy, sometimes you feel bloated and gassy, which is more likely because of discomfort in sleeping). 10. foods such as turkey, chicken, lean meat (containing Niacin), oats, sweet corn, rice, ginger, banana, dairy foods and barley contains more tryptophan( an amino acid), which is more effective in producing sleep. However it is important to take it with starches. 11. A deficiency of minerals or vitamins may also affect your sleep. So take foods like lentils, nuts, shellfish, whole grain foods which contain iron, copper. Magnesium, a mineral also produces sound sleep. So foods containing it are beans, spinach, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ and almonds, have to be included in the menu of food daily. 12. Meditation and Yoga helps to overcome insomnia. … [Read more...]
Recent Comments