The Secret Diary of The Beautiful Mind

  Around 700,000 people die by suicide every year, with over 75% of suicides occurring in low-and-middle-income countries . Suicide is a global concern and a serious public health issue in every country; however suicides are preventable. By raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide and encouraging well informed action, we can reduce instances of suicide around the world. "Creating Hope Through Action" is a reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and aims to inspire confidence and light in all of us; that our actions, no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling. Preventing suicide is often possible and you are a key player in its prevention. Through action, you can make a difference to someone in their darkest moments – as a member of society, as a child, as a parent, as a friend, as a colleague or as a neighbour. We can all play a role in supporting those experiencing a suicidal crisis or those bereaved by suicide. Suicidal t

  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

  5 subtypes of patients having alcohol addiction: Young Adult Subtype - 31.5%, largest group. Have lower comobidity and family history. Binge pattern of drinking observed, less help seeking behaviour. Functional Subtype - 19.5%. More likely to hold jobs and relationships. Depression, cigarette smoking common. Highest education, income amongst patients having alcohol concerns. Intermediate Familial Subtype - 18.8% - high rates of family history of substance use and also of psychological issues and other substance use. Hold on to jobs but less help seeking behaviour. Young Antisocial Subtype - 21%. Almost half of them have antisocial personality disorder, along with other psychological issues. High rates of other substance use disorder. Lowest levels of education, employment, and income, but highest help seeking behaviour. Chronic Severe Subtype - 9.2%. 70% have family history of substance use, high antisocial personality diagnosis and other psychological and substance use concerns. Aff

  With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis related illness – we can’t wait to act on viral hepatitis. People living with viral hepatitis unaware can’t wait for testing. People living with hepatitis can’t wait for life saving treatments. Expectant mothers can’t wait for hepatitis screening and treatment. Newborn babies can’t wait for birth dose vaccination. People affected by hepatitis can’t wait to end stigma and discrimination. Community organisations can’t wait for greater investment. Decision makers can’t wait and must act now to make hepatitis elimination a reality through political will and funding. I can’t wait ‘I can’t wait’ is the new campaign theme to launch World Hepatitis Day 2022. It will highlight the need to accelerate the fight against viral hepatitis and the importance of testing and treatment for the real people who need it. The campaign will amplify the voices of people affected by viral hepatitis calling for immediate action and the end of stigma and dis

  The last 2 diagnostic criteria that we will look at while making a diagnosis of dependence is salience and harmful use. Salience means importance. Progressive neglect of alternative pleasures or interests because of psychoactive substance use, increased amount of time necessary to obtain or take the substance or to recover from its effects; Harmful use: Persisting with substance use despite clear evidence of overtly harmful consequences, such as harm to the liver through excessive drinking, depressive mood states consequent to heavy substance use, or substance-related impairment of cognitive functioning. Efforts should be made to determine that the user was actually, or could be expected to be, aware of the nature and extent of the harm. Any 3 of the 6 criteria, if present in the last 12 months indicates presence of dependence, a condition that requires medical attention to deal with.

  Addictions are characterised by dependence on substance or activity. There are certain features that indicate dependence, 2 which we saw last time - craving and difficulty controlling use. We will have a look at 2 more this time and the last two - salience and harmful use next time. Withdrawal features - A physiological withdrawal state if substance use is stopped or even reduced, as evidenced by: the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance; or use of the same (or a closely related) substance with the intention of relieving or avoiding withdrawal symptoms; This is one of the main reason why people using substance are unable to move beyond it, despite its adverse impact on physical and mental health, on relationships and professionally as well. The discomfort felt and the knowledge that substance will relieve it, creates a viscious cycle that spirals in the downward direction. Tolerance - This reflects that body is getting used to the substance being consumed. Here, incre

  Labeling all people using substance as addicts can be counter productive, as it takes the attention away from those who need help the most. Addiction is a chronic condition that is difficult to diagnose and treat. While the signs can be clear, diagnosis first relies on the person with an addiction or people close to them acknowledging and wanting to address the problem. The first step in diagnosis relies on a friend, family member, or the person with addiction themselves acknowledging a need for treatment. This can often be the most difficult step and might sometimes involve a personal or group intervention if an individual with substance use disorder is not aware of the extent of the problem. So to make this process objective, criterias are set to help diagnosing substance dependance or addiction. Any 3 of the 6 criterias set out, if present over the last one year, helps confirm the diagnosis. We will begin by looking at 2 of these initially. a. A strong desire or sense of compulsio

  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

  The six questions every kidney cancer patient should feel able to ask their doctor! Studies show that doctors and patients making treatment decisions together leads to better outcomes and fewer side effects. 1. “What are my treatment options and what are their benefits and risks?” The treatments available to you will depend on your cancer type, its stage and your general health. Ask your doctors which treatment plan they think is best for you, if there are any costs and how many tests and check-ups you’ll need along the way. 2. “How will this treatment make me feel?” Slowing or curing your cancer is obviously vital, but so is your quality of life during treatment. Discuss what’s important to you – work, travel, fatigue, bowel function, sex life - and ask what you will and won’t be able to do during different treatments. 3.“How much experience do you have with this treatment?” If a surgeon recommends nephrectomy, it’s OK to ask how many he’s done. Similarly for other treatment options

  Your emotions might not necessarily only revolve around excitement when you’re pregnant. So you’re not alone if you’re feeling strong moods and emotions. During pregnancy, a variety of hormones increase dramatically, peak during childbirth, and then crash back down to pre-pregnancy levels immediately after birth – estimated at a 1,000% change over the course of only five days. Since these hormones are linked to emotional states, someone who has just given birth typically experiences an emotional upheaval. Most people (about 80%) experience some degree of emotional upheaval after childbirth — ranging from mood swings and crying spells to a spike in anxiety and difficulty sleeping. You may feel overwhelmed at times, and at others, euphoric. Aside from emotional ups and downs caused by rising hormone levels in the first three months, the feeling of growing a new life can be exciting and awe-inspiring. It is also common for women to feel anxious, vulnerable and overwhelmed by the big cha

  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

  Raising kids alone is not easy. You have no one to support or share your dilemmas and concerns. However let this not overwhelm you. Some tips to empower you to do what you want to. 1. Don't feel Guilty - You may feel guilty for the things you cannot provide or the time you may spend with your kids. For your good, try to focus on all the things to accomplish for the day and also show the love, comfort and attention to your little ones. Seek help as needed. 2. Take care of yourself - Include physical activity in your daily routine, eat a healthy diet and get plenty of sleep. Arrange time to do activities you enjoy alone or with friends. Give yourself a "timeout" by arranging for child to be with relatives or family friends least a few hours a week. 3. Lean on others - Work out a schedule with other parents in school or classes. Call on loved ones, friends and neighbors for help. 4. Plan and handle finances - Taking care of the family on a single income or being dependent

  Often self harm is seen as a sign of mental weakness or attention seeking behaviour. Views such as these often delay and prevent the person resorting to harming self from seeking help. Self-harm is usually a sign that a person is having a tough time coping with their emotions. The term self-harm encompasses a variety of behaviors that may include but are not limited to cutting, scratching, burning, picking etc. People who self-harm may do so for following reasons. 1. To help manage unbearable emotions and symptoms 2. To help regain a sense of feeling (for those experiencing numbness) 3. To help relieve stress and pressure 4. To help feel in control 5. To reenact a trauma in an attempt to resolve it 6. To protect others from emotional pain What Can You Do? How you react if someone discloses their self-harm is extremely important. The news may distress you and you may feel overwhelmed with emotions. You may also feel confused, frustrated, guilty or sad. All of these emotions, plus

  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

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

Our mission & passion at The Beautiful Mind Clinic is about mental health & psychological wellness. Join us in this journey where we have candid conversations & share some secrets about the beautiful mind and everything within it.  It's not merely about fixing what's broken, but finding out what is missing in the recipe of life. Our motto is, "Healing minds, mending hearts, towards fruitful living." Keep watching this space for more on mental health and feel free to reach out to us for more conversations!