Content writer: Safa Sajith Content Editor: Ratan Ravichandran Blog Designer: Elsa Aziz We're often told not to comment on the external appearance of others. But very little are we told not to do this to ourselves. "Yuck! Your ears look so big like that of an elephant's. You're so disgusting!"- Imagine how overwhelmingly destructive it would be to shame and belittle ourselves like this! Some people have faulty perceptions about their looks and believe that they're too ugly to be accepted by others. When these thoughts become obsessions that impairs your day-to-day life, these might be signs that you suffer from Body Dysmorphia. Body Dysmorphic Disorder or BDD is a neurological condition that affects 1 in every 50 people, irrespective of gender. It is the most common among youth. Most of them often spend 3-8 hours in front of mirrors, repeatedly checking for flaws in their body. Some avoid mirrors in all possible situations because of the high functioning distress they experience when seeing their reflection. This is because they analyse minute details on their body, defects which may or may not exist, rather than viewing themselves as a whole. Seeking constant reassurance and social comparison are often prevalent in people with the disorder. Too frustrated with what others may think of their physique, they either isolate themselves from society or use large amounts of cosmetics to hide their features. They may also suffer from depression, eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia, and other mental illnesses. They're often indulged in compulsive behaviours like self-grooming, skin picking or even substance abuse. 80 percent of the population with BDD have lifetime suicidal thoughts, among which 25 percent attempt it. These symptoms get worse with age if left untreated. The exact cause of Body Dysmorphic Disorder is not yet known. The reason could be genetics; studies suggest that BDD is likely to run in families. It could also be due to environmental factors such as childhood emotional neglect or other traumatic events. All these can cause chemical imbalances in the occipital cortex of your brain, resulting in abnormalities in your visual processing, thereby, rendering the individual with cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties, draining your life. People with BDD perceive this difficulty as physiological rather than psychological. Hence, they naturally prefer seeking plastic surgery rather than healing their damaged inner self. BDD isn't curable, but treatments can improve the symptoms. This requires long term commitment as it may take a year or longer. BDD is treated with a combination of therapy like CBT, and SSRI, an antidepressant that interferes with serotonin in the brain to help control obsessions and repetitive behaviours. At times, when the person with BDD indulges in self-harm, hospitalization may also be required. BDD isn't curable, but treatments can improve the symptoms. This requires long term commitment as it may take a year or longer. BDD is treated with a combination of therapy like CBT, and SSRI, an antidepressant that interferes with serotonin in the brain to help control obsessions and repetitive behaviours. At times, when the person with BDD indulges in self-harm, hospitalization may also be required. BDD, despite being a serious disorder, hasn't gained much recognition. If you know a person with BDD, it is essential to be cautious of the following while having a conversation with them: 1. Create a judgement-free space to help them express themselves. 2. Do not invalidate their feelings by talking about your insecurities. 3. Do not mock them for being silly. Instead, give them the assurance they need whenever required. 4. Encourage them to seek help from a therapist, and celebrate even the smallest of their steps. Yes, people struggling with mental health may have irrational thoughts! But this doesn't lessen the fact that their feelings are real. By understanding this, and showing empathy, perhaps, we can take humanity to the next level! References: https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/body-dysmorphic-disorder/related/how-to-help-someone-with-body-dysmorphia/ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/body-dysmorphic-disorder https://youtu.be/e5Uifr9478w
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Content Creator: Aman Sahva Content Editor: Safa Sajith Designer: Halima Asif Kiara: They call it a “disorder”! I chose sandwiches and burgers over A glass of red wine and a cigar to chill. It is a relief and I find my solace. Extreme hunger signals stress and anxiety. My plum cheeks, fallen tummy, blown up legs... I reflected on what I ate, Couldn't find the next size after XXXXL. Yes, I was no more spotted on beaches and in pools. Selene: They say I am "sick" Each bite I take in is stressful Cheesecakes and macaroons: Sweeter-scary nightmares. I starve for days and months, Overwhelmed by my weight. I burn in hassle during dinner parties. Yes, I count calories more than memories. Neo: They say it is weird to find men with this "illness". I lose myself while I eat. I can speak better than I can eat. The dining table is where I cruciate. My fork slips and clutter food I just sleep with a half-filled stomach as always. I am either spotted under the stairs Or in washrooms with my lunch kits during breaks all alone. Yes, I dare myself not to shed my confidence. Every bit and every bite is a dare. Every effort you take, Every thought to grow- From what you go through MATTERS! Recovery is possible through rewiring and balancing! Content Writer: Ananya Anindita Content Editor: Ayisha Farah Blog Designer: Halima Asif “Oh god! Are you really going to eat that much?” “Why are you eating so little? Are you dieting?” Have you heard/said any of these ever? You probably have. We tend to say something nonchalantly, but are not aware of the extent of its impact on the other person. These tiny, so-called “harmless” comments play a massive role in developing body image issues, which in turn plays a huge role in ‘eating disorders’. Eating disorders are defined as, “Any disorder characterized primarily by a pathological disturbance of attitudes and behaviors related to food.” – APA. A combination of genetic, environmental and social factors are the contributors to the development of eating disorders. Research has proved that if one twin develops an eating disorder, the other has a 50% likelihood of developing the same. Thus, proving the genetic connection. Also, someone, who has a neurotic, perfectionist, impulsive personality trait, has a higher risk of developing an eating disorder. Anorexia Nervosa - Disorder characterized by an obsession with being thin, an intense fear of gaining weight, even if they are underweight, and a distorted perception of weight or body shape. Bulimia Nervosa - An individual consumes an unusually large amount of food and then proceeds to purge to make up for the extra calories. Binge eating - An individual tends to binge eat large amounts of food, has no control over oneself, and doesn’t resort to purging behaviours. This is most common in the US. and is a leading cause of heart strokes and diabetes. Pica- A disorder where an individual craves non-edible substances like chalk, dirt, soap, hair etc. This condition is mainly observed in children, pregnant women and the mentally challenged. Rumination disorder- In this, an individual regurgitates previously chewed food, chews it again and either swallows or spits it out. This is not a biological reflex; instead is a voluntary action. It leads to severe weight loss and malnutrition. There is an immense stigma surrounding this topic. People don’t take it seriously; they think of it as a “teen thing”. Also, the notion that E.D. is a rich person disorder and celebrities (females) are the only ones going through it makes it seem somewhat irrelevant to the normal man. In reality, E.D. affects both rich and poor, male, female, non-binary, adult, and child. E.D. is much more than a diet gone wrong. It’s a severe and lethal mental disorder and NOT a lifestyle; a “just eat” is not helpful! E.D. in men is heavily underdiagnosed as compared to women. Men feel extreme shame to talk about it as it’s a supposed “women’s problem”. About one in every three people suffering from E.D. is a male. The NEDA says that about 10 million men will go through E.D. in their lifetime. 15% of anorexia cases are men. Binge eating is more common in men as compared to women. Women are most likely to resort to forced vomiting, laxatives as purging methods, while men are most likely to exercise excessively or fast. Women are most likely to go through mood disorders as a side effect, while men develop anxiety and psychotic disorders, schizophrenia being the most common one among them. Out of the total number of diagnosed male, 42% belong to the LGBTQ community. Gay males are seven times more at risk of suffering from an E.D. and 12 times more likely to display purging behaviour. The LGBTQ community is at a higher risk. This is because of the pre-existing stigma around their sexuality, the internal conflict, social and familial pressure, and basic unacceptance in society. 65% of people with E.D. say bullying contributed to their condition, and 33% of homosexual teenagers have undergone bullying by their peers. All these pre-existing factors contribute to issues like alienation, depression, suicidal thoughts etc. Overwhelmed by these stressors, individuals develop E.D. Some see it as a coping mechanism against trauma. Transgender clients, in particular, try to make themselves smaller, which they feel makes them less of a target, less seen. The cultural perception of “perfect body” also plays a huge role, as they already have such low self-esteem and self-acceptance issues, they try to make themselves fit into at least one of the societal standards. Overall, getting over these disorders is extremely difficult, as it affects an individual’s self-esteem. The best way to help someone with eating disorders is to make sure that you are understanding and patient. Motivating them, saying positive things regularly, and creating a safe environment. We have to eat to live! So unless you stole it, you should never feel guilty about anything you eat! REFERENCES: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-eating-disorders#bottom-line https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/ https://dictionary.apa.org/eating-disorders https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/anorexia-nervosa/news/20190906/mens-eating-disorders-often-not-recognized Content Creator: Manasi Patil Blog Designer: Halima Asif Never give up.
Never give in. Keep fighting that fight So the devil doesn't win. Through the hurt and the pain, The sorrow and the shame, The one thing you need to remember Is that tomorrow is never the same. Hold onto your hopes and dreams, For your fears are less than they seem. So to all of those who feel like they are losing the fight, And to those who feel like there is no hope in sight, Take a minute to look at the sky And remember that there's something Out there bigger than you and I. Just like today, The sun will shine again. Through the clouds and the rain, The sun still remains, And all the darkness will fade away. So hold your head high, And feel the warmth. It may remind you What you are truly worth. Content Writer: Ananya Anindita Content Editor: Ayisha Farah Media plays a huge role in shaping the public’s opinion on various topics. This bestows the media with a huge responsibility. All that the media should serve are facts without any sort of prejudice. But that is definitely not the case when it comes to the portrayal of mental health in the media. The portrayal of mental health in the media has always been problematic and stereotypical. They provide us with overwhelmingly dramatic and distorted images. A 1999 study revealed that danger is the most common theme of stories related to mental illness. The audio-visual media, which are movies, have portrayed characters with a mental illness in a negative light (criminal, dangerous, unpredictable) from the very beginning. If a movie has any sort of ‘mentally challenged’ character, it is immediately termed a ‘madman’ or ‘psycho’. And the so-called ‘psycho’ is always the antagonist, often times a cold-blooded murderer. Stereotypical ideas like someone suffering from depression is aggressive or suicidal; schizophrenic experiences, hallucinations, etc., are shown. A few disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are idealized and often used as a comic relief. A negative portrayal of mental illness results in a sense of shame and deprecation among those actually suffering from mental illnesses. ‘Me, Myself and Irene’ is a movie that follows the Jekyll and Hyde Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)* concept and schizophrenia, where the two extremely opposite personalities of the male lead ‘fight’ each other to win over the female lead. Schizophrenia might show delusions and paranoia, but in no way does it characterize multiple personalities. And the personalities in DID are mostly unaware of each other’s presence, so fighting each other is not possible. Similarly, in ‘Fight Club’, Brad Pitt’s character suffers from DID (the movie’s twist). He can switch between personalities and have full-blown conversations with each other, yet be unaware of his condition. Which again is NOT what DID is. ‘The Dream Team’ is a movie where four mental hospital residents manage to escape and roam around the city. It is a comedy movie that conveys that all that men really need is a day in the ‘real world’, as opposed to psychotherapy and medications. Similarly, in the movie ‘Garden State’, Zach Braff’s character, who has clinical depression and is prescribed antidepressants, meets Natalie Portman’s character and develops a romantic relationship with her, who teaches him how to feel again. He soon goes off of his medication because he now believes that the root cause of his misery was the pills and not depression. This gives depressed people the wrong notion that the pills are the villains, and they can one day decide to be happy, and lo and behold! Problems solved. They blame themselves and their lack of willpower for their condition. ‘Anjaana Anjaani’. What can be worse than romanticizing depression? Well, this movie took two suicidal, depressed people who made a pact on committing a joint suicide on the upcoming New Year’s Eve and turned it into a love story. It showed depression in a romantic way rather than the actual emptiness and desperateness that it is. However, the glass is never completely empty. Many must-watch movies have rightfully done their research and nailed the character and condition, and shown them in a positive light. For example, ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ shows Charlie, a teenage boy who deals with crippling PTSD and anxiety that comes with trauma and how he navigates his way through school. Honestly, Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ also did an extremely commendable job in showing how emotions play a huge role in a person’s behaviour, making Riley’s behaviour understandable. ‘To the Bone’ talks about anorexia, the eating disorder, which is often termed as just an obsession with getting thinner, whereas it is so much more than that, mainly a self-esteem issue. ‘Taare Zameen Par’, the movie that single-handedly managed to create more awareness around dyslexia than any number of psychologists/psychiatrists could ever do, power of mass media used rightly! ‘My name is Khan’ is about a man suffering from the ‘Asperger’s syndrome’. The movie does not show the condition as something that limits Khan, but rather as something that enriches him and the people around him. ‘Karthik calling Karthik’, a movie about a man suffering from schizophrenia, who is shown to be leading a normal life and is not a complete maniac. Thus, that was done right. ‘It’s ok not to be ok’, a Korean drama that deals with Antisocial personality disorder, Autism, and many more. So, yes, there has been a positive change in the portrayal of mental health in the media by directors and writers. No more are the people suffering from mental illnesses shown negatively, nor are they seen as potentially dangerous. Instead, now they are also seen as a part of the society and not as a freak. Nowadays, they are even given the role of the protagonist. The media’s positive changes help enlighten the general public on mental health’s reality and de-stigmatize it. Seeking a psychologist’s help is no longer a matter of shame. A few movies still show the violent nature of mental illnesses, which is fine because that is also a part of a few severe psychological disorders. But thankfully, the mainstream media has shifted from the very typical portrayal of mental health to a better and more educational one. A few things they can still do to improve are conducting more research on the background of the illness and focusing on the positives a little more. The print media can have a weekly mental health column, wherein they write about a new illness every week. Also, a column run by a psychologist who writes about mental health myths; such small changes can bring about a huge difference in the overall outlook towards mental health. Since mass media plays such a huge role in providing a perception towards mental health, they should use this platform to its fullest and educate the mass. *Dissociative Identity Disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder, is a severe form of dissociation; a mental process which produces a lack of connection in a person’s thoughts, memories, feelings, actions or sense of identity. It is mostly characterized by childhood trauma, where a person creates an alternate personality as a coping mechanism. Content Writer: Krithika P V Content Editor: Safa Sajith Blog Designer: Isra Iqbal VR, as the name suggests is a virtually-created multi-dimensional environment that quite literally replicates the actual environment. It is a technology that reached a peak in the year 2017. This helps people to experience different worlds first-hand without actually having to go there. VR has been used as a source of entertainment as well as in therapy. What is the role of VR in maintaining a healthy mental state? Broadly, three approaches to VR technology have been used to maintain a peaceful state of mind in humans. The first approach aims at relaxation. It contains generic scenarios that are often nature-based which create a sense of calm and peace in one’s mind. Here, people are made to experience calming scenarios in VR that help refresh themselves and keep their minds at peace. The second approach aims at an engaging experience. People are made to experience certain VR environments where they are demanded to act or do some kind of activity that keeps them engaged and focused. This is used as a form of stress buster and also as a form of skill developer in humans. The third approach, and an idea that’s still in its infancy, is personalized VR. Here, VR environments are created specifically based on a person’s real-life incidents and environments that help the person connect on a deeper level. These experiences help the person overcome mental health issues on a greater level. What is the role of VR in therapy? Virtual Reality has risen as a new and effective form of technology in treating mental health patients. The same VR that was once accused of damaging our brains, has now been found as a means to fix it. In therapy, therapists expose their patients to VR to study their symptoms on a deeper level or help them fight anxieties by transporting them regularly to their anxious hubs to let them realize that the ‘threats’ or fears they face are not so dangerous after all. They also eventually learn to give up on their anxious reactions to those particular ‘threats’. This therapy, known as exposure therapy has been extensively used to cure anxiety and depression. VR has also been used to cure Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) ever since the ‘90s. In this disorder, people tend to face stress, nightmares, anxiety, and depression after they witness certain traumatic incidents in their lives. For therapy, those traumatic incidents are re-created on VR in a step-by-step process. The patients are exposed to these incidents over and over again under controlled conditions that help clinicians to study their behaviors, responses, and mental states better. Repeated visits to these traumatic sites also help these patients overcome that trauma over time. It has been used in the field of forensic psychiatry too. It has helped assess people with pedophilia and also to gauge the behavior of forensic inpatients in crime-related situations. Alzheimer’s diagnosis has been made easier by VR too. Alzheimer’s affects one’s ability to navigate and memory. Therefore, detection of these aspects previously required physical navigation and pen-paper memory tests. Now with affordable VR sets, clinicians set up virtual environments to detect the disorder. For example, a vanishing map is created in VR where the environment around you vanishes after passing by it, therefore, asking the patients to return to the starting point after having the surroundings vanished is a test of both navigation and memory. The above mentioned are just a few popularly selected disorders cured and detected by VR. The list of these disorders that have been made easier to detect and cure by VR is pretty high as researchers are still working on finding more ways to use this technology in fighting mental health issues. VR technology still has a long way to reach its full potential. References 1. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/virtual-reality-might-be-the-next- big-thing-for-mental-health/ 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4361984/ 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6423066/ 4. https://www.beingpatient.com/virtual-reality-for-dementia-alzheimers-vr-therapy/ Content Writer: Ananya Anindita Content Editor: Safa Sajith Blog Designer: Elsa Aziz Cognizance regarding any subject matter has indefinitely gone through a lot of events in history; mental health is no exception. The history of mental health through the ages has not been a pretty one, to say the least. It has been largely determined by the political and social factors of that particular period. Mental health care is greatly categorized by the latest fad/fashion/belief, for example, community care being the latest one. In the exceedingly early ages, mental health was associated with the religious institution. A mental illness was considered a punishment by the gods. Thus, the “sinner” deserved the pain, or they were thought to be possessed. In ancient Egypt, India, Greek, Rome and China, mental health was seen as either a religious issue or a personal problem. However, in 5 BCE the Greek physician Hippocrates, came up with his theory of personality. He rejected the term ‘insanity’ and explained it to be a natural occurrence caused by the imbalance of 4 types of bodily fluids (blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm). This led to physicists draining the “extra fluid” out of the body, known as ‘blood-letting’ thus they would prescribe laxatives to patients, draw blood and even tobacco was used to cause vomiting. This concept was followed quite well through the middle ages as well. In the 16th-18th century, the concept of demon possession continued and the mentally ill were accused of making a pact with the devil as well as committing demonic activities, like eating babies. A large cross-section of these people was referred to as witches, leading to mass witch-hunts and killing. During these times, the family who were the primary caretakers of the patients often were ashamed of them due to the social-stigma and repulsion that came with the conditions. This led to the extremely inhumane treatment of the patients; from being locked in dungeons, being beaten atrociously (to drive the spirit away) to having a hole drilled into their skull so that the spirit can escape. Well, it is no shock, as humans tend to categorize anything as wrong or evil when it slightly deviates from their standard definition of “normal”, anything foreign to us is always a ‘threat’. By the 18th century, terms like “insanity”, “madness”, “psycho” etc. came up. And soon mental asylums, which were referred to as ‘madhouse’ started coming up. These asylums were supposed to be housing institutions for the mentally ill, however, they mainly segregated them from society. These institutions were profit-making organizations, it became a lucrative business. The patients were left to fend for themselves in vicious conditions. They were kept in windowless rooms, dungeons, chained up, beaten to be “tamed”, and had little to no human contact; basically, treated like animals. In the 19th century, as industrialization and modernization took over, the number of mental asylums just grew in number along with the number of patients. The asylums became overcrowded and the treatment derogated. A retired schoolteacher, Dorothea Dix, realised the negligence regarding this matter, advocated for better and more asylums and even managed to establish 30 mental institutions in the United States and Canada. After the publishing of the book ‘A mind that found itself’ by Clifford Beers who was a former patient, the hygiene conditions were taken into consideration. Also, since scientific reasoning, understanding and perception had taken over society by then, several pieces of research had been made on the mental health topic and a lot of psychological explanations had come into the picture. In the 20th century, shock-therapy had made its place in the treatment books. Patients were mercilessly given shock treatments, kept in cold rooms, given cold baths etc. This however changed with time, as more and more conditions were researched upon. ‘Asylum’ changed to ‘hospital’. The patients were no longer called inmates. And the hygiene issues also started getting better. More awareness was created around mental health, proper education was provided regarding this subject. Proper treatment like counselling also started. Now, psychology has become a mainstream subject and mental health issues are being spoken about quite openly. Since it is not a tangible concept, it becomes an arduous subject to explain. However, at the very least the concept of ‘demonic possession’ has ceased to exist and is only prevalent in a few rural parts of the world, mainly tribal organizations. Awareness is still being created throughout the world along with social media platforms helping in the destigmatizing of mental health. The road to positive mental health has been a long and turbulent one but the goal’s near and we can’t give up now. Content Creator: Ananya Anindita Content Editor: Fariya Chohan Nature is a healing environment. Not only does it help in proper physiological cleansing, it also gives our mind a refreshing restart. Most of us have a fast-paced, urban lifestyle. Naturally, we all are a little over-exerted from time to time, due to which our mental health gets affected. This has led to the development of a new field in psychology called ‘ecopsychology’. It is the study of how the ecosystem and our mental health are intertwined. Every study shows that time spent in nature is like an antidote for stress. It can lower blood pressure, stress hormone levels, and anxiety. It can also reduce nervousness, enhance immunity, increase self-esteem, uplift our spirit, and improve our mood. Along with this, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) patients have shown longer attention spans after spending a few days in nature. Many people find themselves surrounded by trees, bushes, small garden insects and feel a little less lonely. Shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing’, is a term used by Japanese researchers for a walk-in nature. This concept has shown better nervous system operations in people who follow it. The practice of mindfulness (the conscious state of mind by focusing on one’s awareness of the present moment while calmly accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations; used as therapeutic technique) is increased and more efficient when amongst nature. Another study at the University of Kansas proved that spending more time outdoors, being active and spending less time with electronic devices indoors can increase problem-solving skills and improve creative ability. The stress of a stressful environment is undone in the environment. There is a boost in positive or pleasant feelings. ‘Nature deprivation’ is the lack of time in nature. The more the amount of time spent in front of screens, the deadlier it becomes. Studies have shown a directly proportional relation between nature deprivation and depression. Nature is a soothing environment, it is supposed to make us happy and healthy. Nature heals, soothes and restores. REFERENCES: https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health https://positivepsychology.com/positive-effects-of-nature/ https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/thriving-with-nature/guide https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/7/eaax0903 Content Writer: Krithika P V Content Editor: Armani Moore Blog Designer: Elsa Aziz “What do you mean you’re not feeling emotionally well?” the mother questioned her child. “You are barely 13! Who taught you such a thing? You’re too little to feel anything of that sort!” she yelled as she ignored her child’s plea to stay home from school. Little did she know she was suppressing her kid’s emotional side, unaware of what that would do to him in the long run. Childhood. A joyous period of one’s life. No stress, no worries, no pressure of work. The greatest worries we had at that age was breaking a toy or hurting our knees, and we know how trivial they sound once we’ve grown up. Wait, did I just generalize everyone’s childhood as joyous? Yes. Was I being stereotypical? Yes. But, isn’t that something all of us have been and continue doing? Yes again. Childhood emotional neglect, as the name suggests, refers to the condition where a child’s emotional self is neglected or suppressed due to a lack of good parenting. Children who’ve been restricted from expressing themselves freely may develop serious mental issues that can also carry into adulthood as well. Let us analyze the causes of childhood emotional neglect: 1. It can occur when the parents themselves might’ve been suppressed emotionally during their childhood that has carried on into their parenthood. Therefore, in their parenting, they would have developed an inability to understand and cope with their child’s feelings. 2. It can also occur when parents are facing depression or other mental health disorders that decrease their time and interaction with their children. 3. Parents who are too busy with work, either from poverty or just casually busy work days, don’t tend to have the time to spend with their children. These children, either alone or often under the care of a nanny, can face emotional neglect too. 4. Some parents, due to personal issues, might have bare resentment towards their child. This may also result in emotional neglect as well as serious issues such as abuse and harassment. 5. Some parents, even after providing their child with the best of love and care, can neglect their child’s emotions. This might not be intentional but happens due to a lack of good parenting skills. Whatever be the cause of the issue, the effect on the child is inevitable and can persist in their adulthood too. Below are the effects emotional neglect can have on a child: 1. They can develop depression and anxiety due to lack of emotional care. 2. They might end up making wrong choices in life and becoming a victim of substance abuse. 3. They might develop extremely low self- esteem which may stand as a barrier in their path of success. 4. After growing up, they can carry on these effects of emotional neglect and do the same to their offspring by neglecting their emotions. 5. They might lack intimacy and become aggressive due to their inability to healthily express emotions. After analysing both causes and effects of this condition, we can now look at ways to prevent and/or treat it. One of the most obvious yet important solutions to every condition related to mental health is therapy. If you detect this condition in anyone, try to convince them to seek help. Mental health officials can help them recover in the best possible manner. One of the most obvious yet important solutions to every condition related to mental health is therapy. If you detect this condition in anyone, try to convince them to seek help. Mental health officials can help them recover in the best possible manner. Secondly, create a safe and accepting space around them. Make sure their parents and the others in the house understand their condition and that they feel loved and welcomed to freely express themselves. Stand with them in their worst phases of the condition because sometimes, a promise that someone is there with them and is supporting them is all a person needs. The next solution is for the parents. The parents of the affected kid must take parenting classes in order to be able to take care for their child and help them recover. These classes can expand their knowledge on their child’s condition and provide them with ways to manage it. Having had an overview of causes, effects, and the solutions to the condition of childhood emotional neglect, we can conclude that this condition is a very common yet easily ignored one. It is often ignored simply because it does not have definitive symptoms and is not visible to the naked eye. But it exists, and it is necessary that we understand the seriousness of this issue and help all those who are affected by it. It’s about time we understand that today’s children are faster in having matured mindsets due to the exposure they receive at a very young age. Parenting is a tedious task with the children of Gen-Z. Therefore, children today need utmost care physically as well as mentally. References: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/childhood-emotional-neglect https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindful-anger/202001/9-signs-childhood-emotional-neglect-and-3-ways-heal Content Creator: Ananya Anindita Content Editor: Ayisha Farah Placebos are substances or procedures that resemble an actual treatment, but are not one in itself. The effect it has on the illness is fake; it does not work independently and has had positive and sometimes negative outcomes (known as the nocebo effect). It is dependent on the person’s expectations in harmony with the body’s natural healing power. If they expect their pain to reduce, it just might, and if they expect side effects, they might occur. Placebos do not cure a disease; they simply create an illusion of treatment and are helpful with conditions that are affected by perception, such as pain, stress, insomnia, and cancer treatment side effects like fatigue and nausea. The most common psychological theory that psychologists have come up with, as to what placebos exactly do are that our expectation for improvement alters our perceptions of discomfort and even activates areas of the brain associated with things like pain control, and increases the number of feel-good hormones, like endorphin, dopamine, etc. However, the placebo effect is not fully understood. Scientists are still trying to understand the exact conditions it affects and to what degree. "The placebo effect is more than positive thinking — believing a treatment or procedure will work. It's about creating a stronger connection between the brain and body and how they work together." Studies have been conducted where depression patients are prescribed placebos as antidepressants, and they have shown a significant amount of reduction in depression level as compared to those who know they have been given placebos. This proved that a person’s state of mind is complexly involved with their mood. Non-medical ways, that is, clinical therapy can and should be preferred to treat depression. ‘Hypnosis’ is considered a placebo treatment. No substance is physically induced into the body, but it does change the client’s expectations. Doctor Irving Kirsch thinks of it as a nondeceptive placebo. Virtually, all psychotherapeutic treatments are a placebo. Placebos were initially used to test the impact of medication. Some patients were prescribed the actual pain relief pill, and some were administered placebos. If the extent of relief of the placebo was the same as or more than that of the actual pill, the drug test was considered a failure. However, now, it is not perceived as a sign that the medication does not work, instead, an alternative method of non-pharmaceutical treatment may be present. A study published online by PLOS Biology in 2016, showed us the probable placebo sweet spot. The researcher administered placebo plain killers for patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis, and greater activity was detected in the middle frontal gyrus brain region, which makes up about 1/3rd of the frontal lobe, during the brain scan. One of the most successful physicians I have ever known has assured me that he used more bread pills, drops of colored water, and powders of hickory ashes than of all other medicines put together. It was certainly a pious fraud. More research should be done on this to see how dependable it is as a treatment. Studies have shown 30% of patients responding to placebos in antidepressant and antipsychotic trials. So why not bring it into mainstream treatment instead of the traditional pill culture? Placebos have exerted a positive biological impact and do not affect our internal organs, unlike other medicines. Hence, they are a healthier option that we should go for, and should be seriously considered as a more common form of treatment. REFERENCES https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect https://www.waldenu.edu/online-doctoral-programs/phd-in-clinical-psychology/resource/the-power-of-the-placebo-in-psychology https://www.healthline.com/health/placebo-effect#what-we-dont-know https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3602922/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6195310/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/placebo https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/why-we-need-more-research-into-the-placebo-response-in-psychiatry/9F1680D8A41D5AE4BB7969D174082816 |
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