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#Resilience-The Key to a secure Happy life and it keeps '#SuicidalIdeation' under control(Harvard Health Blog)

Harvard Health Letter Ramp up your resilience! Being resilient is a skill you can learn and sharpen, and it's never too late to give it a try. Published: November, 2017 Image: © Ariel Skelley/Thinkstock The ability to bounce back from stress or adversity is important throughout life, especially in our older years. That's when we face many transitions, such as health problems; job, income, and home changes; the loss of loved ones; and isolation or separation from friends, grown children, and grandchildren. How we adjust to these changes helps determine what life will look like moving forward. "Many people are living longer, and we want to make the most of these years so people can thrive," says Laura Malloy, the Successful Aging program director at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. The benefits of resilience Coping with stress in a positive way is known as resilience, and it has many health benefits. It's associated with longevity, lower rates of depression, and greater satisfaction with life. "There's a sense of control, and it helps people feel more positive in general," Malloy says. Likewise, a lack of resilience means that you may not handle stress well in difficult situations. Chronic stress is associated with harmful health consequences such as high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, insomnia, heartburn, indigestion, and heart disease. Building resilience Some people are born resilient, like a child who falls off a bike and hops right back on to pedal away. If that's not you, take heart: resilience is a skill that you can learn and improve upon every day. You may want to take a class on resilience building, often offered at local hospitals. An example is the Benson-Henry Institute's Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) Program. Or try any of the following ideas to get better at bouncing back. Meditate. Practicing a meditation technique counters stress by eliciting the relaxation response, which helps lower blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen consumption, and stress hormones. Elicit the response with yoga, tai chi, meditation, guided imagery, or deep breathing exercises. Reframe your situation. See the upside rather than the downside of a predicament. For example, if you're sad that your grown child isn't calling as often as you'd like, try instead to be proud and happy that you helped your child become an independent adult. Lean on your social network. Friends and family are important stress buffers. "You can cope better if you have people you can share your stressors with, or people to help you," Malloy says. Cultivate positive thinking. When you're stressed, it's easy to think about what's wrong. "We'll have people focus on three things that are going well, or three things they're grateful for each day," Malloy says. "It could be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee or having a nice chat on the phone." Laugh more. "Laughing can decrease stress hormones and boost the immune system," Malloy says. Try watching a funny movie, reading a funny book, or even forcing yourself to laugh. "Laughter is contagious, and it's not always dependent on humor," Malloy says. Be optimistic. "Think of a positive outcome, not a negative one," says Malloy. "Consider an upcoming situation, and visualize the positive qualities you want to bring to it." Fight stress by improving health Stress takes a physical and emotional toll on the body. By boosting your overall health, you'll have more strength to take on stressful situations when they come along. Three ways to do that are exercising, eating right, and getting enough sleep. Aerobic exercise helps counter stress by boosting the body's natural feel-good chemicals, using up stress hormones, protecting brain cells, and lowering blood pressure. When you start to feel stressed, go for a brisk walk outside or on a treadmill. Even better, aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity. A diet consisting of healthy whole foods — vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and fish — may also fight depression compared to diets filled with sugary, processed, or fried foods. Being sleep deprived can reduce immune function and lead to difficulties with memory, attention, decision making, and learning new information. We're better able to cope with stress when we're rested. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Make it a habit Work on one or several of these resilience-boosting skills every day. The more you practice them, the better you'll become at dealing with stress.

Suicide biggest killer of youth aged 15-39

Suicide biggest killer of youth aged 15-39: How you can help someone who is feeling suicidal Updated: Nov 19, 2017 | 01:33 IST | Times Now Digital How you can help someone who is feeling suicidal Representational image | Photo Credit: Indiatimes New Delhi: A report recently released by the Union Health Ministry has shown that suicide, or the act of intentionally ending one’s own life, has emerged as the leading cause of deaths amongst youngsters in India. Read: Six things that can help you overcome depression, anxiety naturally The report titled ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States 2017’ showed that more young people in the age group of 15 to 39 years in the country died because of suicides than any other causes or diseases like tuberculosis, AIDS or cancer in 2016. The report that surveyed as many as 18 of the 32 states and Union territories also found that ‘self-harm which includes suicides and other non-fatal outcomes was one of the leading contributors to the injury burden in India. Read: 3 simple ways to create a happy, determined workplace The report was prepared jointly by the department of health research of the ministry in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health Foundation of India and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Read: Feeling anxious? Five brilliant tips to beat stress, anxiety Earlier, a 2012 study published in the journal Lancet showed that India has one of the world’s highest suicide rates for youth aged 15 to 29, while also illustrating the need for urgent interventions for this demographic. Suicide risk factors There are a number of factors that may put an individual at greater likelihood of attempting suicide. Some of these factors include – Mental health problems such as depression, schizophrenia, other mood disorders, etc Physical illness Substance abuse Previous suicide attempts A family history of suicide Financial, social, or relationship loss Isolation or lack of support Read: Could you be suffering from depression, take this quiz to find out Although suicide has become a major public health concern, it is largely preventable. And if you think that a friend or a family member is feeling emotionally distressed or thinking about suicide, there are several things you can do to help them overcome these thoughts. Suicide is preventable Recognise the warning signs and offer support One of the first steps is to recognize suicide warning signs and know how to respond if you spot them. Major warning signs for suicide includes talking about killing or harming oneself, talking about being a burden to others, talking or thinking about death often, using alcohol or drugs more often, withdrawing from family and friends, acting anxious or agitated, losing interest in day-to-day activities, changing in eating and sleeping habits, etc. If you spot any of these warning signs in a friend, relative or a loved one, make sure to talk to them or ask questions, while letting them know that you care for them. Be a good listener While it takes a lot of courage to help someone who is suicidal, another important thing you can do to help is to encourage them to talk about their feelings and listen to what they have to say. And if you suspect there is an immediate danger, make sure they are not left on their own. In fact, findings suggest that acknowledging and talking about suicide may reduce rather than increase suicidal thoughts. Keep them safe Another crucial step in suicide prevention is reducing a suicidal person’s access to highly lethal items, including drugs and weapons that could be used in a suicide attempt. Get professional help Seek immediate professional help, especially if they are at high risk of suicide, by calling a crisis line to talk to a skilled, trained counsellor. Also, encourage the person to seek medical care, or help them book appointments with a qualified professional and accompany them to an evaluation. Your encouragement and support can make a huge difference. Stay connected Be in touch with them even after being discharged from care as this can make a difference. Research has shown that following up with individuals at risk for suicide can help them overcome their suicidal thoughts, thereby reducing the number of deaths caused by suicide. ------------------------------ Suicide biggest killer of youth in 2016: Union min report Shivani Azad | TNN | Updated: Nov 17, 2017, 22:14 IST DEHRADUN: More young people in the age group of 15 to 39 years in the country died because of suicides than any other causes last year, according to a report -- ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States 2017’ -- that was released by the Union health ministry a few days ago. The report, prepared jointly by the department of health research of the ministry in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Public Health Foundation of India and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, found that “self-harm which includes suicides and other non-fatal outcomes was one of the leading contributors to the injury burden in India.” As many as 18 of the 32 states and Union territories surveyed in the report recorded maximum deaths of youth due to suicide rather than diseases like TB, AIDS or cancer in 2016. Leading the list was Tripura which recorded 25.2% deaths of the total deaths in the age group 15 to 39 years in 2016 due to self-harm followed by Tamil Nadu (25%),Kerala (24.4%), Karnataka (22.9%) and West Bengal (20.6 %). Among the other states with high suicide percentages were Maharashtra (16.2%), Himachal Pradesh (15.4%), Sikkim (14.6%), Meghalaya (14.1%) and UP (13.6%) Self-harm caused 29.8% more disease burden in 2016 than it did in 1990, according to the report which added that the trend had “increased among both sexes in the past 26 years although it was more among men than women.” The study indicated that “lifestyle changes that come with a rapidly industrialising, urbanising society, from changes in diet and activity level to more traffic on the roads, were possible reasons behind the trend. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Suicide Replaces Homicide as Second-Leading Cause of Death Among U.S. Teenagers by Alicia VanOrman and Beth Jarosz Facebook Share Tweet This Share Email Print (June 2016) Suicides have become the second-leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States, surpassing homicide deaths, which dropped to third on the list (see Figure 1). The teenage suicide rate increased from 8 deaths per 100,000 in 1999 to 8.7 deaths per 100,000 in 2014. Higher suicide rates are driven in part by changes in the method of suicide. Suffocation, which includes hanging and strangulation, and is highly lethal, increased as a method of suicide. A rising suicide rates among teenage girls is driving the higher overall suicide rate. Despite the rise in suicide, the overall mortality rate among teenagers has fallen from 68.6 deaths per 100,000 in 1999 to 45.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2014, as a result of declining homicide and traffic accident death rates during the past 15 years. Data are based on Population Reference Bureau (PRB)’s analysis of mortality statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Figure 1 suicide-2nd-leading-cause-death-us-teens-fig-1 Lethal Methods Contribute to Rising Suicide Rate A higher rate of suicide attempts does not appear to be driving the increasing teenage suicide rate. Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System show that among high school students, the prevalence of attempting suicide remained flat from 1999 to 2013.1 Rather, suicide attempts today appear more likely to result in death because teenagers have shifted to more lethal methods of self-harm—a trend that has alarming implications.2 The frequency of suffocation (a particularly lethal form of self-harm, which includes hanging) as the reported cause of suicide-related death among teenagers nearly doubled over the past 15 years. The share of teenage suicides due to suffocation rose from more than one-quarter (27 percent) in 1999 to nearly one-half (45 percent) in 2014. Both teenage boys and teenage girls are increasingly likely to commit suicide by suffocation. From 1999 to 2014, the overall suicide rate among teenage girls increased by 1.5 deaths per 100,000, while the suffocation-related suicide rate increased by 1.4 deaths per 100,000 (see Figure 2). In other words, the increased rate of suffocation deaths accounted for virtually all of the increase in the suicide rate among teenage girls. Figure 2 suicide-2nd-leading-cause-death-us-teens-fig-2 Among teenage boys, the suicide rate by suffocation increased by almost 60 percent across this period, but their overall suicide rate remained stable at 13 deaths per 100,000 due to a drop in the rate of suicide by other methods including firearms. Increasing use of highly lethal methods of self-harm presents a significant public health challenge. The reasons teenagers are using more lethal methods to attempt suicide remain unclear. Some researchers hypothesize that social contagion—more exposure to suicide could induce at-risk individuals to attempt suicide—may be to blame, but there are no definitive answers. More research is needed to understand the underlying factors behind this trend. In the meantime, suicide prevention programs should continue working to address root causes, while also recognizing that the risk of death from a suicide attempt is rising. Teenage Suicide Rates Rose for Nearly Every Demographic Group The suicide rate for teenage boys was three times the rate for teenage girls in 2014. However, the rise in the overall teenage suicide rate between 1999 and 2014 was driven by the 56 percent increase in the suicide rate among teen girls—from 2.7 deaths per 100,000 to 4.2 deaths per 100,000. Suicide rates rose for girls in every racial/ethnic category between 1999-2001 and 2012-2014.3 Rates rose fastest for American Indian and Alaska Native girls (60 percent increase), and rates rose by more than 50 percent for both non-Hispanic Black/African American and non-Hispanic white teenage girls. Among boys, only non-Hispanic Black/African American teenagers had lower suicide rates in 2012-2014 than in 1999-2001. As with girls, rates rose fastest for American Indian and Alaska Native teenage boys, and rates also increased for non-Hispanic white boys. Rates remained stable for Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic teenage boys. Overall, the highest teenage suicide rates are among American Indian and Alaska Native teenagers. This may be partially explained by their greater concentrations in rural areas, where the risk of suicide is much greater (see map). Yet, even in rural areas, American Indian and Alaska Native teenagers have extraordinarily high rates of suicide, especially as compared with other racial/ethnic groups living in those areas. Teenage Suicides Highest in Rural Areas Suicide rates are higher in rural areas for a variety of reasons including social isolation, prevalence of firearms, economic hardship, and limited access to mental health and emergency health care services. The teenage suicide rate in rural areas is nearly double the rate in highly urbanized areas (11.9 deaths per 100,000 in rural areas and 6.5 deaths per 100,000 in the most urban counties).4 All of the states with the highest rates of teenage suicide—Alaska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and North Dakota—have relatively high proportions living in rural areas (see map). Conversely, the four states with the lowest teenage suicide rates—California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York—have predominantly urban and suburban populations. The Tableau interactive on teenage suicide rates shows trends across the United States between 1999 and 2014. In addition to having lower teenage suicide rates overall, the most urbanized areas saw no increase in suicide rates between 1999-2001 and 2012-2014. Rates rose in less urbanized areas and rural areas. Looking Ahead The recent decline in the overall teenage death rate shows that the United States is making progress in keeping children safe from harm. Yet the rise in suicide rates represents a significant and growing public health threat, and requires action. Suicide prevention strategies include depression/suicide awareness programs, expanded access to mental health services, and programs that support vulnerable populations (such as Native American teenagers, teenagers struggling with gender and sexual identity, and those with mental health or substance abuse problems). These troubling trends should serve as a reminder to health practitioners, hotline workers, and the public that teenage suicide risk should be taken seriously. Expanding mental health and other social and strengthening social connections with at-risk teenagers can help prevent these deaths.5 Alicia VanOrman is a research associate at PRB and Beth Jarosz is a senior research associate at PRB. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Trends in the Prevalence of Suicide-Related Behavior National Youth Risk Behavior Survey: 1991-2013,” accessed at www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs/pdf/trends/us_suicide_trend_yrbs.pdf, on May 27, 2016; and Child Trends, “Suicidal Teens: Indicators on Children and Youth,” (August 2014), accessed at www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/34_Suicidal_Teens.pdf, on May 27, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, “Suicide Trends Among Persons Aged 10-24 Years, United States, 1994-2012,” (March 2015), accessed at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm6408.pdf, on May 27, 2016. We use three-year rates for race/ethnic and state detail to improve the stability of rate estimates over time. Highly urbanized areas are defined here as “Large Central Metropolitan” counties, and rural areas are defined as “NonCore (non-metro)” counties, based on the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics “Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties.” For more information, see www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/urban_rural.htm#update. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “Suicide Prevention,” accessed at www.samhsa.gov/suicide-prevention, on May 27, 2016. Get Email News Join/Renew Membership

Teen suicide rate suddenly rises with heavy use of smartphones, social media(TheWashingtonTimes)

Teen suicide rate suddenly rises with heavy use of smartphones, social media By Laura Kelly - The Washington Times - Tuesday, November 14, 2017 A study shows that suicide rates among teenagers have risen along with their ownership of smartphones and use of social media, suggesting a disturbing link between technology and teen self-harm. Citing federal data and two nationally representative surveys of more than 500,000 adolescents, researchers found a strong correlation between the time teens began using smartphones a decade ago and a sharp rise in reports of serious mental health issues. From 2010 to 2015, a record number of teenagers were reporting depressive symptoms and overloading mental health clinics, while suicide rates climbed for the first time in decades, said psychologist Jean Twenge, lead author of the study, which was published Tuesday in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. “I’ve never seen such sudden, large changes,” Ms. Twenge said in an interview with The Washington Times, noting that the biggest increase occurred within a single year. “In this case, we tried to just go systematically through possible explanations and rule them in or out and, at the end of the day, the pronounced increase in smartphone ownership seems like the most logical explanation,” she said. “It was by far the largest change in teens lives between 2012 and 2015.” Ms. Twenge, who teaches psychology at San Diego State University, said the most striking finding was the correlation between cumulative time teenagers spent on smartphones and their depressive thoughts and suicidal actions. SPONSORED CONTENT From boxer to architect: Celebrating Tadao Ando, Japan's King of Concrete From boxer to architect: Celebrating Tadao Ando, Japan's King of Concrete CNN Discipline is key to managing diabetes. Learn more here Discipline is key to managing diabetes. Learn more here LifeToTheFullest.Abbott Billionaire Don Soffer Relists Palm Beach Mansion for $9.9M Billionaire Don Soffer Relists Palm Beach Mansion for $9.9M Mansion Global Recommended by Among teens who spent five hours or more on their phones per day, 48 percent had suicide-related outcomes such as depression, thinking about suicide, making suicide plans or attempting suicide. The statistic for teens who spent one or two hours on their electronic devices per day was exponentially lower, with 28 percent reporting any of the suicide-related outcomes. Ms. Twenge said the biggest takeaway from the study is that people should limit their screen time to about two hours a day to protect their mental health. “The preponderance of the evidence points in the direction of more screen time leading to depression and mental health issues,” she said. “Doing nothing risks these mental health issues continuing to be at these historically very high levels. The research suggests we shouldn’t be telling people to give up their phones entirely; it’s limiting the amount of screen time.” The study relies on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Monitoring the Future survey and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Among its findings, the number of teenagers: • Who spent at least five hours on their smartphones per day more than doubled from 2009 to 2015, from 8 percent to 19 percent. • Reporting feelings of depression or planning or attempting suicide rose from 32 percent in 2009 to 36 percent in 2015. This increase was higher among girls, from 40 percent in 2009 to 45 percent in 2015. • Reporting use of social media every day soared from 58 percent in 2009 to 87 percent in 2015. These teens were 14 percent more likely to be depressed, compared with less-frequent social media users. Researchers have several reasons why they believe increased screen time and social media use contribute to depression, both indirectly and directly. One theory suggests that increased screen usage takes time away from activities — such as in-person social interaction, playing sports or exercising, homework, print media and attending religious services — that contribute to teenagers’ positive mental health. Another points out that teens who report more smartphone use exhibit a loss of sleep, a well-established risk factor for depression. The direct effects of social media are not completely understood, said Ms. Twenge, calling the internet a “cauldron of self-objectification for women.” She said girls had the highest rates of depression linked to social media use. “We found that the mental health issues — the spike was especially pronounced for teen girls and that social media use was correlated with depression only for girls. That might be because of the pressure for teen girls to get a lot of likes and a lot of followers on social media,” said Ms. Twenge, author of the recently published book “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy — and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood.” Brooke Shannon is the founder of Wait Until 8th, a grass-roots movement among parents who seek to delay smartphone use by their children until after they reach eighth grade. In only about six months, what started as a community initiative among parents in Ms. Shannon’s daughters’ school in Austin, Texas, has grown to a national movement of more than 4,000 families across all 50 states. “It does make a big difference to have strength in numbers,” Ms. Shannon said. “It just makes it a lot easier for the kids to know other friends that are waiting, and when they’re on the bus that they’re not the only ones that don’t have a device.” Ms. Twenge echoed that sentiment, saying that among her conversations with teenagers, the most depressing fact she found was that people bury their faces in their phones even when they are around others. “The email that depressed me the most was from a high school student who commented, ‘I want to talk to my friends at lunch, but they’re all on their phones.’ Yeah, that broke my heart,” she said.

1 in 3 Indians thinks shrinks are mentally ill, says survey(Times of India)

1 in 3 Indians thinks shrinks are mentally ill, says survey Ekatha Ann John | TNN | Nov 11, 2017, 05:46 IST CHENNAI: When a few psychiatrists handed out questionnaires to 900 people in five Indian cities to explore public attitude towards them, the response made them cringe: At least one in every three said doctors treating psychiatric patients were mentally ill themselves, while one in five couldn't decide. The study published recently in the peer-reviewed Indian Journal of Psychiatry shows that despite greater awareness on mental health issues, a majority of the respondents who had deep religious beliefs or had less than higher secondary school level education still viewed psychiatrists with suspicion The survey covered people aged between 18 and 65 years in Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Mumbai. Researchers found that public attitude towards the subject was correlated to religion, gender, education level and access to healthcare. "Based on the response received, on a median scale of one to five, we arrived at a mean score of around three - one being positive perception and five, negative," said neuro-psychiatrist Dr A K Tandon of AKT Neuropsychiatric Centre, Allahabad, who conducted the survey with 11 other psychiatrists and psychotherapists, including from Germany and Austria. Even for the educated, the study found, psychiatrists are the first call for help for less than 10% of the people. The rest first go to general practitioners, faith healers, astrologers and alternative medicine practitioners before finally approaching a qualified shrink. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE HONESTLY IN URBAN AREAS DOCTORS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN FLEECING PATIENTS THEN TREATING THEM. SADLY FAITH IN DOCS IS ON DECLINE Rajkumar Rohra SEE ALL COMMENTSADD COMMENT The team found misconceptions are more prevalent among Hindus and Muslims, attributing the trend to their attitude which considers non-biomedical therapies more effective. "Many respondents believed prayer alone is sufficient treatment for psychiatric disorders," said Dr Tandon. Two-thirds of psychiatric patients attributed their symptoms of schizophrenia to religious causes. "If this is the state in metros, in rural areas, the situation could be much worse," he said. Psychiatrists say they don't discourage magico-religious modes of treatment as long as patients receive simultaneous help from qualified doctors. "Religion is a way of life. Many of my patients follow both simultaneously with positive results," said Dr R Tara, director of Chennai-based Schizophrenia Research Foundation. National Institute of Mental Health Neuro Sciences director B N Gangadhar, said he now had patients who introduce him to their guests as their psychiatrist. "This was unthinkable a decade ago," Gangadhar said.

#Aasra's #FocussedGroupDiscussion Workshop on #IssuesAffectingStaffAndPatientsAtTBAndInfectiousDiseasesHospSewree

#Aasra's #FocussedGroupDiscussion Workshop on #IssuesAffectingStaffAndPatientsAtTBAndInfectiousDiseasesHospSewree facilitated by #JohnsonThomas supported by #DoctorsWithoutBorders (13th Nov 2017) for 26 #PatientWelfareCommittee members including nurses, doctors, counsellors and administrators The Big idea was to get the staff to speak up about problems faced by them while handling TB patients at the hospital

#aasraSuicidePrevention24x7Helpline912227546669 #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook #WorldMentalHealthAndWellnessAwarenessWeek #WorldMentalHealthAndWellnessAwarenessMonth #aasradotinfo

11 Natural Ways to Increase Serotonin in the Body(Ba-Bamail)

Sadness, joy, and excitement are just a few of the feelings we experience which are influenced by a variety of causes and factors around us. Apart from the various environmental factors, such as couples fighting, for example, what happens inside our bodies also has a significant impact on our feelings and the mood changes we experience during the day. One of these physiological factors is the neurotransmitter serotonin, which plays a major role in regulating different moods, and its deficiency or excess can significantly affect our mood. We can’t always control external circumstances, but what happens within our bodies is definitely in our hands, and with the following 11 tips you can increase the production of serotonin in your body and feel happier as a result. 1. Increase your intake of TheanineTheanine is an amino acid found in tea that penetrates the brain and affects levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin. Theanine has a double effect on mood improvement because, apart from increasing serotonin levels, it also causes an increase in dopamine levels, another hormone responsible for our mood. 2. Get a pampering massageAnyone who has ever received a massage knows how relaxing it can be, and how it can make us feel much better. Relaxation of the muscles during a massage causes the release of tension, and it turns out that it also increases the production of serotonin. Moreover, massages causes a decrease in the cortisol hormone, which inhibits the production of serotonin by 30%. 3. Add turmeric to the menu Turmeric also has a positive effect on our mood because of the curcumin it contains. In a study published in 2008, researchers found that curcumin increases the production of serotonin and dopamine, which help to significantly improve our mood. This effect is due to curcumin inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase, which breaks down mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as serotonin. When the activity of this enzyme slows down, the decomposition of serotonin occurs at a slower rate, leaving it in the bloodstream for longer periods of time and contributing to the improvement of our mood. 4. Consume more B vitamins B vitamins play key roles in the body, such as helping with growth, preventing blood shortage, maintaining normal metabolic processes, and more. In this group of vitamins, there are two types that affect the production of serotonin - vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. It is important to consume these vitamins in your diet, as the body can’t produce them on its own, and you can do so by eating fish, chickpeas, rice, potatoes or by taking supplements. Increasing the intake of these two vitamins contributes significantly to the treatment of depression. 5. Add magnesium to your diet Magnesium is an essential mineral for the body, which is responsible for lowering stress, regulating neural activity and producing serotonin. Increased magnesium intake in people with depression helps improve the condition, and it can also help anyone who wants to "lift" their mood. Add Magnesium to your diet by consuming foods such as whole grains, seeds, and bananas. 6. Take in some rays Sun exposure is essential for a variety of functions, such as vitamin D production, and is also important for the normal production of serotonin. Exposure to the sun for 20-30 minutes increases the production of serotonin in the body, and that’s why we feel much better after a short trip outdoors, especially when we aren’t feeling so well. Researchers found that the sun's rays stimulate the serotonin production system and cause it to produce the necessary amounts for regularity in mood. To prevent sun damage from prolonged exposure, it is recommended to go out in the early morning or late in the afternoon, when the rays are weaker and you can enjoy the health benefits that the sun provides without fear of getting sunburned. 7. Exercise more often Physical training is essential for a healthy lifestyle, but many of us find excuses that prevent us from getting off the couch and starting. Besides improving overall health, exercise also improves serotonin levels in the body, so it is recommended to find at least a few minutes per day for some cardio-boosting exercise. Such training increases the production of serotonin in the body and also increases the levels of endorphins, both of which can give you a mood-boost, and this effect can quickly lead to you wanting to work out regularly. If you manage to overcome the initial difficulty, you’ll soon start to look forward to your daily workout because of its mood-boosting benefits. 8. Look for the positives in life This may sound a little cliché, but if you focus on the positive things in life, your mood improves dramatically. This action has a tremendous impact on the body, and when we focus on positive things, the amount of serotonin in our bodies increases. This effect can be achieved by the positive thinking that accompanies the activities you enjoy, such as doing hobbies, spending time with people you love, and even writing a thankfulness diary, where you will write down the big and small things you’re thankful for every day. 9. Meditate Many people think that meditation has only spiritual effects, but this isn’t true - it has many physical effects as well. Practicing daily meditation increases the production of 5HIAA, an acid which takes part in the production of serotonin that is needed to improve mood. In addition, meditation helps to reduce the levels of stress hormones that cause us mental tension and dissatisfaction, meaning, it too has a powerful double advantage. If you find regular meditation boring click here to discover 6 alternative and original types of meditation. 10. Cut back on sugar When we eat something sweet, we have a momentary rewarding sense of joy, but it passes quickly and we go back to feeling how we felt before taking that sinful bite. There is a direct connection between low levels of serotonin and sweets, because insulin is required to assemble certain parts of serotonin, and eating high-sugar foods increases insulin levels and, consequently, serotonin levels. However, as noted, eating something sweet causes a momentary improvement of mood, which "crashes" quickly and we return to feeling sad and consuming more sugar to make ourselves feel better, thus creating a cycle of sugary and sweet foods, so you should reduce your sugar intake and use other serotonin-boosting methods that do not include sugary foods. 11. Maintain a balance of gut bacteria In our intestines, there are bacteria that benefit us and those that harm us, and it’s important that the scale is tilted towards those that do good for our bodies. When the balance is disturbed, the bacteria can’t absorb the nutrients needed to produce serotonin, which adversely affects our mood in the short and long term. To prevent this, you can consume probiotic foods such as yogurt or kefir, which increase the production of serotonin and thus contribute to the improvement of mood over time. In a study published in 2016, this association was proven, and researchers found that the consumption of probiotic bacteria reduced the number of subjects who were depressed, so a simple yogurt can have far-reaching effects on your mood as well.

5 Breakthrough Psychological Theories(Ba-bamail)

5 Breakthrough Psychological Theories Psychological theories provide insight into every aspect of human behavior. There isn't one of us that doesn't wish to know ourselves better, and psychological theories can go a long way toward providing insight into the mind and human psyche. Having knowledge of them can be life-changing if you make correct use of the information they contain. Here are 5 ground-breaking psychological theories: 1. All you need is love The Beatles sang those words in the 1960s, but as early as 1938, a 75-year study began to reveal that this was indeed the case. The study examined 724 men ranging in age from adolescence to old age and collected data on a variety of areas in their lives to answer the question of how to be happy. The conclusion of this study was unequivocal - relationships with people and the love they provide to each other are the most important things in life for happiness! The research director, psychologist George Vaillant, said that happiness is achieved by experiencing love and finding a way of dealing with life that isn't detrimental to experiencing love. In other words, you can have all the health and wealth in the world, but it all means nothing if your life doesn't also contain meaningful relationships based on love. 2. Power corrupts the human psyche A study conducted in 2003 definitively determined that power corrupts the human psyche. In the study, the subjects were divided into groups of three, and each group had one leader. The leaders of the teams were tasked with giving points to the other members, based on their contribution to the task given to them. During the study, the researchers entered the room where the subjects were sitting and placed a plate of five cookies on the table in the room. Almost all the leaders of the groups took two cookies, scarfed them down while scattering crumbs on the floor and chewed with an open mouth. Research has shown that power causes a person to forget his manners and become greedy. However, greed and disrespect were not the only negative behaviors found in the study corresponding to the level of power the person gains. The researchers noted that the leaders' also showed signs of aggression, some sexually harassing the women in their group, and others expressing racism towards members of the group with a different skin color than themselves. So, if you come to a position of power in your life, don’t forget that this feeling can take over you and change who you are for the worse. 3. The words you use determine how you see the world The words that come out of our mouth make people judge us and our character, this we already know, but did you know that the words you use make you notice or ignore certain things? Professors Lera Boroditsky and Aneta Pavlenko of Stanford University studied the language of the Aboriginals in Australia (Guugu Yimitir). They found that Aboriginals have no words for right and left, so they use "East" and “West" to describe sides, and indeed for them, there is no such thing as the right hand or the left hand, for example. Professor Boroditsky says that our language affects the way we perceive the world and shapes our thinking in a way that no learning process can equally affect. So if you know more than one language, try to think in several languages about a particular topic that bothers you to access it from a number of different perspectives, which will help you reach better and clearer conclusions about it. 4. We can pay attention to only one thing at a given moment We all want to believe we can do many things at once, and some say women are better at multitasking than men. However, this is incorrect, and we can prove it to you! Below is a video where people are passing balls to each other, your task is to count how many times the people wearing white pass the ball. having trouble playing this movie? click here If you watched till the end, you found that while counting the passes you completely missed the gorilla that passed by the players. Only a few people manage to notice the gorilla during the task, and the majority don’t see it simply because they were concentrating on one thing - our brain works so that when it concentrates on something, it is hard for it to notice other things, even if it’s right in front of our eyes. So think about the findings of this study the next time you encounter a problem and can’t solve it. The solution may be right under your nose, and you're just too busy thinking about it in a way that doesn’t seem useful or just about the problem itself. 5. The little things are what really matter in life If asked what’s important in life, most of you would probably say marriage, children, education and a good and satisfying job, but studies show that this isn’t the case when examining reality. What has been revealed in many studies is that the small things are really important, and the big things don’t always have much to do with our level of happiness. For example, even if you’ve got your dream job, over a period of time what will affect your level of happiness it is not necessarily the job itself, but rather the everyday things you will have to deal with. This includes, for example, your relationships with co-workers, the amount of sleep and leisure you may have, or the morning traffic jams. If these things create stress, you won’t feel satisfied with your work, and it doesn’t matter if your job is Head Taster at a chocolate factory. So the next time you’re asked what your dream job is, the right answer will probably be "working with good people at a job that allows me to enjoy enough sleep and off time and which the way there in the morning isn’t loaded with traffic jams."

Aasra's #WhatsWrong? was part of #2ndMentalHealthFilmFestivalMindScope2017

#2ndMentalHealthFilmFestivalMindScope2017 hosted by #TRIMITITrust & sponsored by #FinolexIndustries & #MukulMadhavFoundation : A CSR initiative of Finolex Industries. We were very glad to screen the short film made for Aasra -What's Wrong? made by #ShraddhaSinghvi & #AanchalKohli, at the fest-(#AnushriThakar) The fest was held on Sunday, November 5th 2017 at National Film Archive of India (NFAI), Pune, India from 4.00 pm to 8.30 pm. #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook #WorldMentalHealthAndWellnessAwarenessWeek #WorldMentalHealthAndWellnessAwarenessMonth #aasradotinfo

#StompOutBullying #ChangeTheCulture #BlockingABullyOnline is the most effective way of #Prevention

#StompOutBullying #ChangeTheCulture #BlockingABullyOnline is the most effective way of #Prevention This initiative from STOMP Out Bullying™ aims to block negativity from online spaces, and end cruelty, homophobia, LGBTQ discrimination, racism, hatred and online violence. #BlockItOutEveryday encourages those who are bullied, trolled and mistreated online to block out their bully on social media, and empower their friends to do the same. With a focus on positivity and safety, #BlockItOutEveryDay seeks to erase online cruelty for good. #aasraSuicidePrevention24x7Helpline912227546669 #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook #WorldMentalHealthAndWellnessAwarenessWeek #WorldMentalHealthAndWellnessAwarenessMonth #aasradotinfo

#Aasra's #JohnsonThomas was an invited speaker at a #TEDxTalk organised by #UWCMC

#aasradotinfo #aasraSuicidePrevention24x7Helpline912227546669 #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook Aasra's #JohnsonThomas was an invited speaker at a TEDxTalk organised by UWCMC

#AasraHelpTalk #ListenIngTherapyAndItsLifeChangingBenefits #JohnsonTHomas

#AasraHelpTalk #ListenIngTherapyAndItsLifeChangingBenefits #JohnsonTHomas #aasradotinfo #aasraSuicidePrevention24x7Helpline912227546669 #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook https://youtu.be/XWKxWrj3Imo

Aasra- HELP TALK on " Psychology Behind Exam Stress In Order To Overcome it" on 6 February 2017.

.#JohnsonThomas #AasraSuicidePrevention23x7helplineforthedepressedAndsuicidal, Aasra- HELP TALK on " Psychology Behind Exam Stress In Order To Overcome it" on 6 February 2017. We have uploaded the recording on our website and YouTube channel. Here is the link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFNthJFah-8

World Health Day - 7 April 2017 The theme of 2017 is #Depression: Let's talk. #LetsTalk #MentalHealth #Aasra

#aasradotinfo #aasraSuicidePrevention24x7Helpline912227546669 #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook World Health Day - 7 April 2017 The theme of 2017 is #Depression: Let's talk. #LetsTalk #MentalHealth World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization, provides us with a unique opportunity to mobilize action around a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. Mental health is integral to our well-being and as important as being physically healthy. The growing incidence of mental health issues is a reflection of the reality that confronts us today. That is why the theme for this year’s World Health Day campaign is depression. What is depression? Depression is an illness characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks. In addition, people with depression normally have several of the following symptoms: a loss of energy; a change in appetite; sleeping more or less; anxiety; reduced concentration; indecisiveness; restlessness; feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness; and thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Read more and check out whats happening in your country : http://apps.who.int/depression-campaign-2017/en#/grid-content

#Aasra Teams up with #PHFI

#Aasra Teams up with #PHFI Our new mental health campaign, It’s Ok To Talk (www.itsoktotalk.in) is launching on 8th April 2017! Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsoktotalk_in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsoktotalk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Its-Ok-To-Talk-338081326591404/ Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2053347524892278/ #SwetaPal #PHFI #DrVikramPatel #aasradotinfo #aasraSuicidePrevention24x7Helpline912227546669 #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook

Aasra-HELP TALK : Self Affirmations/Positive Pep-Talks to Root out Negativity from our lives

#aasradotinfo #aasraSuicidePrevention24x7Helpline912227546669 #BefriendersWorldwide #SamaritansUK #IASP #UN #WHO #AFSP #INFOTES #LifelineInternational #Google #Facebook How Self Affirmations/Positive Pep-Talks help us root our negativity from our lives. When you’re stressed out, your problem-solving skills diminish, but studies show that self-affirmation practices can combat this effect. self affirmations are not a joke —positive mantras can decrease stress and improve performance on challenging tasks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNhXPoWYpZE