Mental Well-Being

Exercises that help cope with depression

One of the best ways to cope with depression is to get out there and exercise – there is no two ways about it! Exercise comes with a whole lot of benefits – keeps you fit, helps you stay active and also releases endorphins that are great mood-boosters.

While any exercise is a great way to fight depression, anxiety – there are some specific exercises that you can do to help cope with depression.

Here are a few must-do workouts in case you are dealing with depression or in general looking for a mood-lift.

1. Running

When it comes to fighting depression, exercises that are cardio intense help you the best. Quite simply, moving is the first step. “Runners high” is when you are moving and exercise is stimulating your brain chemicals. If you want to pick up an exercise to fight depression, the best place to start would be with something that is cardio intense.

2. Yoga

Yoga combines the right mix of exercises and breathing – those who have picked up yoga show that they have reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Doing yoga regularly helps you to stay calm, fit and not just benefits the physical body but also keeps you mentally fit.

3. Get Outdoors More Often

The most important thing here is to get outdoors – it doesn’t even matter if you don’t have a structured workout plan! The idea is to get fresh air and get outside as much as you can because this helps tackle feelings of anxiety and depression.

4. Build Muscles

Strength training over a period of time really helps you to boost happiness – strengthening your muscles requires control and precision and doing this consistently over a period of time is undoubtedly a great mind boost!

References

http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression-pictures/great-exercises-to-fight-depression.aspx#07

How can you exercise power over addiction?

Getting addicted to unnecessary habits might be easy but getting out of it might be a little tough but it’s definitely not impossible. Regardless of the kind of addiction, though it’s not easy, admitting that you have a problem is always the first step to overcome it.

Best remedy to keep your mind off is start exercising. It helps to ease addiction and make you feel better. Now it’s time to make a plan that includes different kinds of exercises.

Here are few exercises you can start for a fresh new beginning and live life to the fullest again:

1. Begin with Yoga

For addiction treatments, unrolling your yoga mat is first part of recovery. Strengthen your body by inculcating power yoga in your daily routine, which releases dopamine in the brain. Less intense workouts can be medication which helps unpack anxiety and stress that can trigger relapse. It also allows you to start having control of your mind and staying calm.

2. Outdoor Activities

Enjoying the various outdoor activities can boost dopamine levels during addiction treatment. A simple 10 – 15 mins will help stave off cravings when they arise. A brisk stroll outside or swimming for a while can also boost overall brain function by supporting growth of new brain cell.

3. Strength Training

Getting started with cardio is a good idea, but there are different recovery benefits like lifting a few weights. Main issue all recovering patients suffer from is Insomnia. Weight training or body weight exercises help you feel tired / exhausted which drains your energy and puts you to sleep. This will slowly help to build your sleep cycle.

4. Team Sports

Running to hit the goal or hitting the ball hard for a 6 with your friends is a good workout. Socializing with people who are nowhere near the addiction you have had, helps bring you back to the society and feel good. It also helps you learn and makes you much more confident about yourself.

Reference:
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/how-exercise-can-prime-the-brain-for-addiction/?_r=0

http://www.doctorcounselor.com/addictiontopower.html

https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/sweating-it-out-exercise-and-addiction-recovery/

Social Media – A tool to gauge mental health?

We spend a large part of our lives online – perhaps most of our interactions today happen online and very little happen outside the virtual world. Social media especially has become a very powerful tool in changing the way in which we communicate.

While the first thing anyone would tell you is that they find social media empowering and that it gives them a voice, there is also another side to the story.

Is social media just connecting us or has it also become a place for people to ask for help? Can we analyse someone’s online behavior and understand what it is that they are going through in their lives? Can someone’s posts online be indicative of their mental health?

The answer is a resounding yes!

It could be a girl who posted a sad quote on her Facebook or a boy who tweeted about life being too hard – we are leaving clues about our mental health online and perhaps it is the best place to look to see if a loved one needs help.

There have been times where people who have committed suicide have had an online record of status messages that have been indicative of them harboring such thoughts.

How do you identify if someone is going through a difficult time through their online behaviour?

Here are a few things you can notice closely to understand this.

1. What are they saying?

It is easy to dismiss what someone posts as trivial or just a rant on a bad day – but take a minute to pause and understand if it is a cry for attention. Are they talking about having a bad day or are they leaving clues that seem to hint at a bigger problem?

2. What kind of posts are they interacting with?

What are the posts they are liking, reacting or commenting on? Are they constantly interacting with posts that seem to suggest problems in life or hint at suicidal thoughts?

This could be a strong warning sign that this person is going through something that they don’t want to talk to the world about.

3. What are they sharing?

Have you noticed people who share philosophical quotes that seem to suggest that they are sad or very abruptly point to the fact that they might need some help?

In some cases, it might be because they simply liked the quote or felt someone would relate to it but more often than not sharing such content means that they are asking for help.

While making hasty judgments based on a few shares is not good – It is important to ensure that you are around to offer a friendly word or at least check on them to make sure they are okay!

4. Observe Patterns

It could be someone who was very active on social media not posting at all anymore or it could be someone who has suddenly become very active– paying attention closely and seeing how frequently someone is posting can help you understand about their state of mind.

5. De-activating the account

Just like how social media activity patterns can tell you that someone is going through something difficult – completely deactivating their online presence could also mean they are going into a shell.

We do have a lot of reasons to stay away from social media including work-priorities or it can simply be a choice but if you think it is because someone is going through a lot in their life, there is definitely a correlation between the two.

Are you a people-pleaser?

Do you always put everyone else above you? Do you feel upset or dissatisfied with yourself when someone is not happy with you? Do you feel the constant need to please everyone?

If you answered yes to those questions or vigorously nodded your head as you read through this, you might have a people pleasing problem.

People pleasers are not hard to spot – they are usually the ones trying to make sure that everybody gets what they want and they would go to any length to make it happen. They are the ones who cannot say NO, often have trouble keeping commitments and find themselves in situations just because they could not be assertive enough to say a NO!

The problem is when they please others by constantly putting themselves through discomfort and stress. Here are some ways in which to fix this!

1. Remember it is your choice

People who like to constantly please other people often forget that they have a choice – they feel helpless when they are in a situation where the choice is between putting themselves through discomfort or saying no to someone. Remember that you have a choice because that is the first step towards exercising it!

2. Set your priorities

Do you find yourself accommodating requests or telling people you will do something for them through the week? Make it a habit to sit at the beginning of every week to write down your priorities. This way, you will be forced to revisit your priorities for the week before accepting any new commitments!

3. Don’t give excuses

If you are a people pleaser, odds are that you would feel compelled to give a list of excuses every time you can’t do something for someone. Avoid doing this because you might get flustered – remember you can always say no without having to back it up with excuses! This assertiveness will help you break the habit of being a people pleaser.

4. Take Small Steps

If you are a compulsive people pleaser, it is not easy to get this habit out in a short time. Make sure you do not get disappointed when you fail the first few times – keep trying persistently until you get it right!

5. Don’t be scared of the consequences

Ask any people pleaser what they are scared of the most and the first they will tell you is that they don’t want to offend anyone. Don’t focus too much on the consequences and remember that the ones who care will understand as you try and make changes to your behaviour!

6. Think about the other things you can do

As a motivating factor – think about all the other things you could do if you stopped doing everything that came your way just to please people; this would help you be more assertive.

Reference:

https://psychcentral.com/lib/21-tips-to-stop-being-a-people-pleaser/

5 Ways to Master Anxiety Fuelled Irritability

Nothing is worth putting yourself through anxiety – not work, not your social life and not even your relationships. Anxiety is just the first step of a vicious cycle that brings with it too many side-effects.

With anxiety comes irritability, the inability to get things done which leads to more stress and depression. The best way to tackle this is by handling anxiety right when it hits you without letting it take shape into something more destructive.

The most important thing here is to not over-think, as that itself can be counter-productive.

Here are a few easy steps in which you can tackle anxiety!

1. Exercise

The first and most effective solution to tackle irritability that arises out of anxiety is by exercising. While any form of exercise is good, doing yoga with some deep breathing exercises can really help you get hold of your emotions.

2. Cut down on junk food and sugar

A good nutritious diet is very important to keep your mental health balanced – if more stress and irritation is driving you to eat more sugar and junk – make sure you keep track of this and eat healthy as this will help you stay calm.

3. Find a hobby

Doing something you love and channelizing your energy into something positive can do a world of difference to stress – find a hobby that keeps you calm and try to stick to it!

4. Spend time with friends and family

Make sure you take out time for that cup of coffee or dinner with the family – staying close to your loved ones and doing things that don’t count as “work” is very important.

5. Don’t Overwhelm Yourself

Give yourself a break! We all go through phases in life where we just need to “do nothing” and focus on the moment. It does not matter if you need to take a short break from whatever it is that you are doing, give yourself the time to unwind and come back stronger than before.

Beat The Work Stress!

Are you one of those people who wait for the weekends because that is the only time you can unwind? Are you constantly worried about deadlines and checking e-mail even when you are not at work?

If these habits are affecting your stress levels and making you feel tired and unhealthy it is time to make that change towards a more balanced life. Mental well-being has been linked multiple times to a demanding work culture around the world and many mental health experts are expressing their concerns on the number of people neglecting other aspects of their life which are important to maintaining a peaceful state of mind.

Here are a few signs of an unhealthy work-life balance:

Crazy work hours
Exhaustion
No social life
Isolation

Now that you know what the signs are, here is what you can do about it:

1. Establish boundaries between your home-life and work-life. Reduce work hours, make it a point to put work out of your mind as soon as you step out of office and focus your energy on other hobbies. Make sure you are not constantly glued to your gadgets!

2. Once your work hours reduce, the sleeping and diet patterns fall in place. Make sure you eat regularly and get at least 8 hours of sleep a day – so that you are mentally and physically able to be productive for the next day. This is essential because the more you stress yourself out to get things done, the less you actually get done!

3. Investing time on the relationships in your life go a long way. Family and friends are always the best support system to turn to on bad days.

The Exercise Prescription

You are probably wondering how exercise can help boost your mental health…..

There are a lot of benefits of exercising – You stay fit, lose fat and as a result you look and feel better!

However, there is one more reason to exercise. Did you know that exercising can be one of the best things that you do for your mental health?

Here are a few ways in which exercise can help boost your mental health

1. Stress Reduction

Exercise is a great stress buster! Yes, it is difficult to plan your day and find some time to exercise but once you do and you are done with your workout you actually feel a lot lighter. Exercise is proven to reduce stress and boost the minds ability to deal with pressure.

2. Releases Endorphins

When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which are also commonly known as the happy hormones! Needless to say these hormones put you in a good mood and make you feel happier. In case you are suffering from depression or anxiety or just going through a tough time, exercise might just be the best mood-lifter.

3. Increases Self-confidence

Working out helps you to maintain great posture and look your best self. As a result of this, you start to become much more confident in every sphere of life and this automatically boosts your mental health.

4. Prevents cognitive decline

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals that help prevent your brain against cognitive decline. As surprising as it is, working out means that your mind stays sharper even as you grow older!

5. Helps control addictive behaviour

Exercise can be an excellent positive addiction – Are you one of those people who now feel that your day is incomplete without a great workout? You just might be on the right track! When you regularly exercise, it helps cut out cravings and helps you from not falling prey to any addictive behaviour.

References

http://greatist.com/fitness/13-awesome-mental-health-benefits-exercise

10 Ways in which you can deal with Anxiety.

A little anxiety is something that is very common if not human – everyone feels it at some point. However, is anxiety interfering with your everyday activities? Do you feel so much anxiety that it goes to the extent of disrupting your work and social life?

Here are 10 ways in which you can deal with it!

1. Limit Stimulants
Any kind of stimulant like coffee, alcohol or cigarette can make your anxiety worse. Make sure you cut down or even better, completely avoid them.

2. Eat a balanced diet
It is important to eat a nutritious diet without skipping meals to ensure that you don’t feel stressed out which in turn causes anxiety and depression.

3. Meditate
You don’t have to learn any special kind of mediation – Just closing your eyes, taking mindful breaths and staying in one place for about 10 minutes a day can greatly improve concentration and help reduce anxiety.

4. Exercise
Exercise helps release a hormone called endorphin which keeps you happy and relaxed. Getting enough exercise is the first step to tackling feeling frustrated, helpless and anxious!

5. Understand what triggers your anxiety
By spending time on thinking about why you feel anxious you learn how better to manage anxiety. Self-awareness is key to managing any mental stress and anxiety is no different.

6. Take time off
The first step to manage anxiety is to know that it is okay to take some time off. Whether it is to take a few minutes off during the day when you are feeling on the edge or a weekend off when you think it is too much, make sure you remember to take the time you need!

7. Make check-lists
A large part of anxiety involves panic around not knowing what to do – Have a clear check-list of what you have to get done during the day so that you don’t allow space for panic.

8. Practise mindful breathing
A good technique to control anxiety is to practise mindful breathing whenever you are stressed. Taking a couple of deep breaths helps you to de-stress and think clearly.

9. Practise positivity
Imagining the worst case scenario in every possible situation will only increase your anxiety. Maintain a positive and try to think of good things in order to stay happy and healthy.

10. Talk to someone
Last but not the least, let your friends and family know that you do have anxiety troubles. It would make it a lot easier to deal with anxiety when there are supportive people around.

6 Habits You Can Emulate From Emotionally Strong People

Ever looked at someone who always seems calm and put together and wondered if you can be like them? Are there certain habits that emotionally strong people have that make them different from others?

Definitely!

The good news however is that these practices are not difficult to imitate – with conscious effort you can easily bring these habits in your life and become an emotionally strong person.

In a world where your emotional quotient has equal if not more importance than your intelligence quotient, these are some things you can always remember to stay happy and healthy.

1. Remember to be grateful

The first step to becoming mentally strong is by staying positive and what better way to stay positive than practicing gratitude and appreciating the things you already have in your life. Maintain a gratitude journal or spend some time every day thinking about all the things you are grateful for.

2. Don’t worry about things you cannot control

There are only two kinds of problems: The ones you have control over and the ones you don’t! Learn to stop worrying about the things over which you have no control as this only drains your emotional energy.

3. Live in the moment

Unless you are able to make peace with your past and not incessantly focus on regrets, being emotionally strong will be a great challenge. Learn to leave behind what has happened and live in the moment with hopes for a better future!

4. Learn to Say No

Emotionally strong people know how to say “No” while still remaining positive and polite. Only when you say “No” to the things you don’t want to do, you will find enough time for yourself and all the things you want to do. Learning to say “No” is an important way to control how your emotional energy is used.

5. Spend time alone

Only when you spend some time with yourself and reflect on your actions you understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses. Apart from this, every emotionally strong person knows that solitude is just a step towards betterment and growth!

6. Practice perseverance

What is emotional strength if you cannot get right back on your feet when you fall down? Perseverance is a very important quality because we cannot avoid set-backs that come in our way but what we can avoid is getting bogged down by them for too long.

Reference:

http://www.inc.com/amy-morin/18-things-mentally-strong-people-do.html

All You Need to Know About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

OCD is a very common trait in people and as the name suggests it involves the compulsions with regard to tasks that are part of the normal day-to-day activities of a person. It can be witnessed in people across various age groups starting from age 7. It is more common in boys than girls in childhood but in adulthood, women are more affected than men. 0.6% of children and adults get affected in India.

Types of OCD

Checkers: Keep checking on things multiple times

Washers: Keep everything around you very clean

Sinners: Expecting perfection in anything and everything

Counters: Obsessed with order and symmetry

Hoarders: Unwillingness to throw things away

Here are a few things that will help you understand more about OCD:

OCD is a chronic disease and cannot be cured like fever or cold. There are a lot of self-help techniques that can help you get out of it but if it is not practised the chances of relapse are high.
There are medicines to treat OCD but most of the time it is not the same drug that is used in the treatment; it varies from person to person.
Writing down things that you obsess about again and again whenever you feel it can ultimately weaken the power of obsession.
Create a ‘worry period’ for ten minutes everyday and tell yourself that you will obsess only at that particular time; make sure it’s not close to bedtime.
It’s a good practice to hold on and delay for a bit before you perform your ritual. In this way you will be able to get your obsession under control.
Being independent and learning to manage your OCDs by yourself is very important. Seek professional help if it gets worse.
Cognitive or Behavioural therapy which involves multiple training sessions is an effective treatment compared to counselling sessions.
Telling yourself that it’s ok to not be perfect all the time can help during times of anxiety.
It helps a lot when the affected patients read more about OCD as it helps them deal with it in better ways.

References

http://beyondocd.org/expert-perspectives/articles/ten-things-you-need-to-know-to-overcome-ocd

https://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/25-tips-for-ocd-treatment/

http://yourdost.com/blog/2015/09/12-essential-tips-to-deal-with-ocd.html

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