The Secret Diary of The Beautiful Mind

Both risk and protective factors affect youth at different life stages, from pregnancy through young adulthood, as well as well as in various domains including individual, peer, family, school and community. When not properly identified and dealt with early on negative behavior can further a child’s risks for drug use and other problems. Effective preventative interventions reduce risk and increase protection at each developmental stage, as well as within each domain. The possible impact of any particular risk or protective factor changes as a person ages. Specific risk and protective factors in particular domains, such as the home environment, can have a greater influence on younger children, while peer level risk and protective factors can be more important for adolescents.Early life family dynamics can either increase the risk for drug use, given poor nurturing or ineffective parenting, or reduce the risk through developing strong initial child parent bonding and providing clear, co

  Cannabis and Mental Illness - Cannabis use is associated with psychotic symptoms, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.When compared with those who have never used cannabis, young adults who began using the drug at age 15 or younger are twice as likely to develop a psychotic disorder, and four times as likely to experience delusional symptoms. A dose‐response relationship was found; that is, the longer the duration since initial cannabis use, the higher the risk of psychosis‐related outcomes. Cannabis and Cognitive Effects - Cannabis‐dependent teens show short‐term memory deficits as well as delayed recall of visual and verbal information. Teens who continue to use cannabis heavily show poorer complex attention functioning as well as slower psychomotor speed, poorer sequencing ability, and difficulties in verbal story memory. Cannabis and the Respiratory and Cardiovascular Systems Because cannabis is frequently smoked, bronchial and lung diseases are not uncommon. There is a four‐

The theme for World Alzheimer's Month in September 2022 is Know dementia, know Alzheimer's. This is the same theme as 2021, but this year it has a special focus on post-diagnosis support. Support after a dementia diagnosis There’s a lot to think about after receiving a diagnosis of dementia. But you are not alone. Learn about different types of post-diagnosis support Initially doctors will provide support by offering treatments, referrals, advice and information to manage the condition and live well with dementia. More work can also be done with information about dementia, emotional support and advice tailored to you and your circumstances. Globally, dementia is one of the biggest challenges we face, with nearly 50 million people living with dementia worldwide. To tackle this international dementia challenge, we need to work together and share best practice with one another. Latest reports show that people need comprehensive support that encompasses medical, emotional and socia

  Neurological Complications of Alcohol Use Neurological Complications of Alcohol Use - 1. Alcoholic Neuropathy      a. Acute Alcoholic Neuropathy      b. Alcohol-related - Compressive Neuropathy - Excessive alcohol consumption is traditionally associated with ‘Saturday night palsy’, caused by compression of the radial nerve against the humerus for several hours.      c. Chronic Alcholic Neuropathy - The onset of symptoms is insidious and symmetric, predominantly sensory, in the form of dysesthesia, burning sensation and burning pain on the soles of the feet that later develops into cramp in the calves and the hands. Motor symptoms usually manifest later, and are characterised by muscle weakness and atrophy, especially in the distal muscles of the upper or lower limbs. Vegetative vascular and skin defects (sweaty, atrophic, glossy, almost hairless skin) with associated dysautonomia are also typical. 2. Withdrawl symptoms and delirium tremens - The manifestations of withdrawal syn

  Effects on children - Witnessing the trauma of a parent suffering from addiction at a young age has long-term effects on the child. Children who grow up seeing a parent addicted to drugs or alcohol are more likely to develop SUDs in their adulthood. They are also 3 times more likely to be neglected or physically and/or sexually abused. Seeing a parent on drugs often invokes distressing emotions which not only create delays in learning and development but can also lead to prolonged mental and emotional disorders. Since children are still developing their personalities and are vulnerable to external influences, they run the risk of repeating such behaviors. Children may be exposed to aggression or violent behavior due to a parent’s drinking. Arguments between parents may be normal, causing the child emotional distress as they witness family members fighting. Early exposure to a home divided by drug use can cause a child to feel emotionally and physically neglected and unsafe. As a res

Experiencing the loss of a pregnancy, infant, or child brings unimaginable pain and grief, and can make you feel alone and lost. Everyone grieves in his own way. Men and women often show grief in different ways. Even if you and your partner agree on lots of things, you may feel and show your grief differently. Different ways of dealing with grief may cause problems for you and your partner. For example, you may think your partner isn’t as upset about your baby’s death as you are. You may think he doesn’t care as much. This may make you angry. At the same time, your partner may feel that you’re too emotional. He may not want to hear about your feelings so often, and he may think you’ll never get over your grief. He also may feel left out of all the support you’re getting. Everyone may ask him how you’re doing but forget to ask how he’s doing. Showing grief doesn’t have any rules or instructions. Men and women often may show grief in these ways. But there’s really no right or wrong way f

  Postpartum or perinatal depression is a form of depression that occurs following the birth of a baby. It’s a relatively common but serious medical condition, affecting up to 1 in 7 new mothers after birth. Postpartum depression can make you feel empty, emotionless, and sad. It can cause changes in mood, exhaustion, and a general sense of hopelessness for a long time after birth. Postpartum depression can affect people of all gender and all types of parents and their partners, be they birth, surrogate, or adoptive. There’s no singular ‘normal’ way to be a parent. Feelings of postpartum and perinatal depression are always valid and are never your fault. Postpartum depression goes well beyond the fews days of 'baby blues', lasting for weeks after giving birth. Its symptoms can be severe and interfere with your ability to function. Symptoms of postpartum depression can vary from person to person and even from day to day. While symptoms can develop anytime after childbirth, they o

  In a recent survey, 77% of bipolar-I participants said living with the disorder made them feel isolated or alone, and 81% reported feeling like no one understands what they go through. This World Bipolar Day, connect and remind folks that they are not alone in what they’re going through. WBD is celebrated each year on March 30th, the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who was posthumously diagnosed as probably having a bipolar condition. How Can a Family Support their Loved One Living with Bipolar Disorder? Ask their loved one how they can be helpful. What is helpful for one person may not be for another. Check in with them on a regular basis, especially if they are struggling. Invite them for activities or a meal. Don’t get discouraged if they turn you down. Keep inviting. Sometimes the invite is enough for them to know you care, and that they are not alone. Offer to run errands, get food, fill their car with fuel, take their kids off their hands for a few hours. Be aware that people

Childrearing can be the most gratifying, yet the most demanding, experience of a woman’s lifespan. Culturally, pleasant feelings and fulfillment are attributed to motherhood, which is considered one of the main purposes of every woman’s life. Motherhood is not supposed to be questioned or substituted by any other type of life goals, such as professional achievement, for example. The importance of this primary role over others is socially assumed. An intensive motherhood model is predominant many societies, a model that assumes the centrality of the child and the prevalence of his/her interests over those of the mother. The mother is expected to nourish strong positive feelings for her child, condensed into the commonly termed “maternal love”. Although motherhood is characterized as an emotional rollercoaster, the absence of positive feelings or the presence of different feelings, such as negative ones, toward motherhood or the child itself are considered unnatural and even pathological

The 21st day of March (the 3rd month of the year) was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome. The United Nations in the general principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) calls for: “full and effective participation and inclusion in society” But around the world, t oday’s reality is… … that people with Down syndrome and disabilities do not benefit from full and effective participation and inclusion in society. Why is this? Many reasons. But one reason is a lack of agreed understanding about what inclusion is and what inclusive systems look like in practice. So what can you do? Think about what inclusion means Think about your daily life; when you take part in activities like school, work, recreation or public life, alongside other people. Are you included? Do you have the same opportunities as others? Or do you face barriers? Do you participate in inclusive activitie

  Single - Parenting-tips Being a single parent can be overwhelming at times. However, don’t lose heart over any issues! You can cope with the stress with a great amount of planning and with these simple tips to help nurture and raise kids in a positive environment. Show Love To Your Children. a. Make most of the time: You can spend quality time with your little one anywhere and anytime. Chat with her on the way to her school or child care. Talk to her during the dinnertime rather than encouraging her to watch television. Play sing-a-along on a ride, narrate funny short stories at bedtime, play word games, and you can do more. b. Pique the interest: Talk to your child about her favorite things, from books to sport to music. Try to awaken the interest by playing her favorite computer game or sport along with her. c. Positive attention: Smile with her, laugh with her and hug her as much as you can. Let her know that you are happy to see her in the morning and when she is back home from

  Often the negative effects of single parent households are quite apparent; economic troubles and abandonment related trust issues. But, there are also positive effects on raising a child. 1. Strong bonding - Spending quality time with your little one creates a unique bond which will be stronger than the one if you were a nuclear parent. It goes well in the case of custodial parents (one who has sole physical custody of the child) and also non-custodial parents who play a significant role in their child’s lives. 2. Community attachments - 'It takes a village to raise a child!' Children raised by a single parent often grow up within a community of supporters. Extended family and friends are likely to take part in the lives of the children. 3. More mature, more responsible kids - Single parents have to work harder, and their children have to collaborate with them for the good of the family. The children also learn how to deal with disappointments and turbulent emotions. They ar

  Single-parent families are more likely to experience financial problems because they only have one earner. These problems used to be compounded due to the patriarchal structure of society, lower status of females, bias in educating girls, lack of access to training facilities, and a sex segregated labour market where there are not only fewer jobs for women but those that are available are mostly low paid, part time, and insecure. Present day society has overcome many of these concerns, but still many are prevalent depending on social strata, caste, religion and other sociodemographic variables. Single parenting mothers are often perceived negatively by society and have little or no social life after family disintegration. The attitude towards female divorcees and widows in India has historically been negative and unfavourable towards their remarriage. There may be intense sorrow (and loneliness) when child envies pals who live with both parents. Building new relationships is difficul

  Single-parent families as those in which there is a single parent, father or mother, raising his or her own children. A single-parent family may get established because of the permanent absence of a parent from home due to death, divorce, separation, desertion, even unwed motherhood, or because of temporary absence as, for instance, due to migration for employment, and imprisonment for long periods of time. In India, the death of a parent is the most likely cause of single-parent family, followed by divorce and separation. Some of the more recent causes leading to single paretning include adoption by those who are unmarried. Some women choose to be single parents via surrogacy. Although relatively small, growing numbers of women in developed countries, especially those who are professional and older, are becoming single mothers by choice. Concerned about their reproductive clock ticking and the lack of a suitable partner, some of those single women have turned to sperm donors in ord

  Indian parenting of 2010s The gap between the parents and the children shows up again, but with a twist this time. The gap isn’t from the parent’s side, it is from the side of the children. Although the parents have adapted themselves pretty well to the new technology, nevertheless, the kids have the advantage of being born into it. Now parents are the ones who are trying to find out what’s going on in the lives of their children. However, since their minds can’t take in huge amount of information, they find it impossible to catch up. The parents Just like the 90s and 2000s had the best of children, the 2010s have the best of parents. Now the parents no longer depend upon their traditional wisdom for parenting advice. They absorb whatever information they can get regarding the matter on both social media and the Internet. Thanks to the positive influence of inspirational movies, the parents are often above gender stereotypes. Far from hindering their child’s artistic abilities, they

The 90s - With liberalization kicking in with Rao and Singh partnership, life turned around quite dramatically in the 90s. Parents had more options for better jobs and more time for the family as well. TV serials, especially Ramayana and later Mahabharata helped the family be together. Mobile phones and social media were thankfully absent, allowing for proper conversations and relationships to develop. Life was a playground and you could have fun no matter whether you were staying inside the house or going outdoors. Moreover, for the first time, children could opt for a variety of western games like basketball, football, badminton, volleyball etc. Nevertheless, cricket was the staple diet. Children had loads of time to play and had adorable ways to fight with friends. Katti Batti, standing in lines during assemblies, getting scolded for mischiefs in the assembly were common. Playing pranks with fake insects, especially on teachers still elicit bouts of laughters. Fairs during festival

  In the 80s, many Indians pulled themselves out of the uncertainty of the earlier times and were living stable lives. In fact, the rise of middle class is evident in the significant developments in the intellectual sphere. The 80s marked the beginning of the rise of nuclear families in India. The average family had a father, mother, two or three children, and lots of love. Both the children and the parents were kind of heaving a sigh of relief. They no longer had to bear the pressure of joint families, but they were somehow missing them too. The parents were moral, but didn’t usually go out of the way to teach their kids a lesson. Last but not the least, within limits of decency, they allowed their kids to choose the clothes they wanted to wear and the food they wanted to eat. Father had a job that was usually good enough to take care of the household. Some of the mothers were working too, but they did so only in less time-consuming jobs like those of teachers. All in all, the parents

If you have never heard the word Thalassemia before, it is good news. Those who have seen some of their near and dear ones go through the illness may even tell - you are lucky! The prevalence of Thalassemia in India is 4% - which translates to almost 5 crore individuals at risk of the illness, many of whom will require lifelong blood transfusions to just survive. Just imagine what the child and the parents must be going through dealing with the illness and its complications. The best way to deal with it is to have knowledge about the illness and its treatment and most importantly seek support from experts - haematologists and mental health workers to live a life that is fulfilling. Thalassemia is an inherited illness of the blood, the oxygen carrying capacity of blood decreases in it. It affects the child as oxygen is what we live on, the body compensates for this reduced efficiency of blood cells to carry oxygen by producing more blood cells - causing abnormality in face appearance

Know someone dealing with Asthma, then you may have also picked up that stress in their life often brings about worsening of their breathing complaints. One may wonder why? Asthma is one the disorders intricately linked with the psyche. Historically, it was one of the classic psychosomatic diseases; where the mind (psyche) affects the body (soma) to cause physical symptoms.  Asthma is a chronic illness, usually requiring long term management. The need for prolonged medical support and apparent dependency causes depression, fatigue, anxiety in many. It also triggers panic attacks, in turn causing breathlessness of its own and often makes it difficult to completely differentiate these two conditions. Also, there is evidence that anxiety and depression gave a negative effect on Asthma by itself. It can cause increased frequency and severity of attacks, prolonged hospitalisation and delayed recovery. Anxiety, Panic attacks & Asthma: Those who have experienced a severe asthm