Anxiety Management

Dr Jayaraman Hariram, Psychiatrist, Senior Consultant, Emergency Service & OCD Clinic, Singapore answers the frequently asked questions on OCD including treatment options and how to recognize if you need help. What is OCD? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the common mental illness recently separated from anxiety disorder and placed within Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorder.  It affects people of all ages and walks of life, and occurs when a person gets caught in a…

And how you can help. Clinical Psychologist H'vovi Bhagwawar has put together a guide on teen self harm and how parents can help their children. This is based on her experience of counselling teenagers. #WorldMentalHealthDay Myra, a bright Std 11 student, had begun withdrawing from her parents and friends. When she insisted on wearing long-sleeved outfits in the humid heat of Mumbai, her mother suspected something. Myra then showed her mother the cuts on her wrists. Her mother was at first…

When R had suicidal thoughts and a feeling of hopelessness, she finally sought help and was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety disorder. Read on to find out how she coped with her illness and how it relates to chronic pain due to migraines and sinus. I am 39 years old and academically trained as an engineer. I lost my mom at a very young age. My childhood consists of first few years in USA and then later on in India.  I was diagnosed with severe depression along with anxiety…

And ways you can help someone dealing with Post Traumatic Stress. By H'vovi Bhagwagar, a Clinical Psychologist specialising in trauma therapy. 1.   Are some groups of people more prone to stress and anxiety after a disaster like floods? People with a current ongoing stressor (divorce, death, financial loss) etc People with past history of trauma (childhood trauma, survivors of previous accidents/riots/sexual assaults etc) People with previous history of mental illness or current…

Dr Neena David, a Clinical Psychologist, emphasises the importance of developing positive coping skills, a sense of resilience and a growth mindset among adolescents and teenagers as they have long term positive mental health outcomes and stave off suicidal tendencies. You have many years of experience in setting up processes for school mental health programmes. What changes did you need to bring about in your programmes over the years? I am not sure I understand this question- ‘your programmes…

When a socially active person like Sharmada started avoiding her friends, she knew she had a problem. Sharmada shares her experience with Social Anxiety and how she learnt to deal with it.  At some point in our lives, most of us have dealt with anxiety, or simply put - the hesitation in interacting with a group of people. These could be situations at work, in social circles or even within families that act as triggers, making one feel nervous or uncomfortable. Usually, such situations…

And questions on seizures, ketogenic diet, depression answered by Dr Joy Desai, a Consultant Neurologist in Mumbai and on the Committee of the Bombay Chapter of The Indian Epilepsy Association. #AskTheDoctor series 1.  How effective is surgery for epilepsy cure? Surgery is effective in well selected patients. Patients are evaluated for surgery on 3 conditions: Is their epilepsy arising from one spot in the brain? Has testing confirmed this site and will it be possible to intervene and…

Anxiety disorders can be disabling and dangerous, if left untreated or suppressed. Smriti Sawhney, an experienced Clinical Psychologist, emphasises the importance of identifying anxiety triggers early and nipping it in the bud either on your own or with professional help before it becomes irrational and cripples your daily routine. An estimated 264 million people in the world are living with anxiety disorders. That is a lot of people, but not everyone is seeking help to treat their anxiety.…

Shivani Maheshwari brings you a list of 10 movies and documentaries on health released in 2017. It is a random selection, with no preference or bias. They were picked up because they featured prominently on social media. The dominance of American staple probably makes a telling statement that more work needs to be done in the health sector in India, in terms of films, features, docudramas, narratives, and motion pictures. Hopefully, 2018 will be better. Watch them if you can. Many are available…

Geetha Paniker, a breast cancer survivor, shares her views on how various forms of creating art, and even photography, can heal both the mind and the body. Art and craft is a source of healing the mind and body. Creative pursuits can be transformed into healing arts, which, in turn, transform you. "He who works with his hands is a laborer; He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman; He who works with his hands, head and heart is an artist." Francis of Assisi The healing powers of…