Tag: Anonymous chat and confessions

What does being depressed actually feel like?

People usually confuse depression with feelings such as loneliness, sadness or misery. Depression is not similar to feeling down or to be sad. Although they are symptoms of depression, but it is much more severe. We experience these normal emotions (sadness, frustration, anger, guilt) as a response to life events. They last for a few hours, days or even for a week but not more than that. Where as symptoms of depression lasts for months or even years. Depression is a serious mental health disorder which disrupts a person’s life. If one is feeling at least 5 of the symptoms of depression such as low mood, loss of interest in everything, feeling of worthlessness and excessive guilt, restlessness or tiredness, recurrent feelings and thoughts of suicide and death, disturbed sleep (too little or too much), loss or increase in appetite, change in body weight, inability to think clearly, agitation, loss of energy, greatly slowed behaviour, for at least two consecutive weeks, then it will be characterized as depression.

The symptoms, causes and experience of depression is different for every individual. Even though the the experience varies from person to person, there are some experiences which are common to all.

Some people feel like there is no Joy left in their life. He or she may not enjoy the things that once give them pleasure. They face difficulty in making decisions, reading or even watching movies or series (they may not understand what is going on in it). They not able to concentrate or focus on anything. This may even strain their work and relationship.

Some feel devoid of hope and happiness, like there’s nothing left. Depression make people feel like there’s no way left to make them feel better again. They may feel worthless and useless, like a complete failure. The main find negativity in every event and are unable to see positive qualities in themselves. Some people feel so exhausted that even getting out of bed seems impossible. The feel drained even after getting enough sleep. For some people it’s impossible even to sleep.

Although, some people with depression don’t feel like eating anything, others can’t stay away from it. They overeat and keep on craving for unhealthy food. For some depression feels like they are living in a state of fear and grief, but there is no origin of these feelings. Sometimes they may feel like screaming and crying out loud and sometimes they feel like they can never speak again. In depression you feel like a half alive ghost. You don’t feel like a normal living thing. Some even become suicidal, thinking of death as an escape.

Dealing with depression is something terrible, if you ask those who have experienced it. Sometimes you feel like talking to people and share what you are experiencing, but the fear of being judged stops you from doing that. This creates a feeling of suffocation. You feel like people will laugh at you or may not understand you, so you think that it’s better to be quiet and suffer alone. It’s okay to have such fears and it is important to know that you are not alone. For situations like these, you can even take help of apps. There is an app called WeHeal.

It is a social application, which has an intention to help people heal, just like the name suggests. It is an anonymous chat platform, we can discuss what ever is troubling you. The healers who are basically the uses of the app, will listen to you, understand you and help you with your situation. Since you are anonymous, it will become easier for you to say what ever you want to, share everything you are experiencing, without the fear of being judged. You can confess anything that is killing you inside or ask anything regarding to issues related to studies, career, relationships, heartbreak or any other problem. It’s really not healthy to keep things inside you. Sharing our feelings and emotions is one of the most important thing which helps in preventing stress and fighting depression. There is nothing wrong in asking for help. There is nothing to be ashamed of in sharing your feelings which can trigger depression or make it worse. Sharing emotions help us to restore equilibrium and to let go of negative emotions that bottles up inside us and cause more harm to us.

It’s important to let your emotions out and this app may help you in that.

You can download WeHeal – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.weheal.weheal

There are also three inbuilt features which provide you with meditation sessions, psychological quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. There are also short inspirational stories, quotes and experiences written by the users which may encourage you.

Normal people also feel sad and lonely, not to the extent that a depressed person feels but yes they do. The app is there with you. It also gives you the opportunity to help other people who are facing troubles by replying to them and providing solutions to their issues with the help of our experience. Research shows that helping others and making others happy, gives more pleasure and boosts mood. It’s sad that inspite of such terrible experiences, depression is not taken seriously. It’s time to normalise it and make it easier for the person who is actually going through it. Timely treatment is required, but just because of the stigmas and judgements attached to it, people don’t come out and share it. The WeHeal app has initiated a great service for normalising mental health issues.

Peer Pressure

Isn’t it difficult to keep on pretending to be someone else just to fit in? Doesn’t it bother you that you cannot act or show who you really are? Why do we pretend? What is this? And most importantly what can we do? Peer pressure is something that is often not noticed but has a great impact on a person’s life. It is something very common in in teenagers and young adults. It affects the thinking and behaviour of youth to a great extent. It can impact there dressing sense, music, choices, even life decisions. We all need acceptance and importance. The fear “what if I don’t fit in?” rules are mind. We often forget that everyone is different and that’s what makes us special. We usually behave according to the expectations of the other group members. This is called “conformity”. And this makes us do things that we necessarily don’t want to. The reason maybe that people feel uncomfortable if they are considered “different” . This “different” may lead to disapproval and dislike by others, which none of us desire. Wanting to be a part of something and to feel accepted can put pressure on us and make us act in a different way. This leads us to do things that we don’t want to do, and not do things that we actually want to do.Peer pressure can be both negative and positive. It is positive when it leads to your growth, when your friends stop you from doing something that you will later regret, when you participate in competitions or join an internship, started working hard because your friend asked you to. That is positive peer pressure. To cite my own personal example, during my high school my friends used to you ask me to study and scored good and forcefully made me participate in in cultural functions. Is benefited me as I scored the highest marks in my whole life and I gained more confidence.But not everyone experiences positive peer pressure. Some might choose to do things that normally they wouldn’t be interested in like smoking, drinking, experimenting drugs, stealing, bullying and teasing, skipping school or bunking college, dieting or body building, taking part in sexual activities, breaking rules, wearing clothes that you don’t prefer, buying something you can’t afford, wearing only designer or branded clothes, etc.Studies show that peer pressure or influence is strongest in early to middle adolescence and that Boys are more likely to give in to peer pressure than girls. People with lower self esteem, and who think that they can never have friends are more likely to be negatively influenced by peers. But they need to believe that they are important and they don’t deserve these toxic friends.Now that everyone has mobile phones and accounts on social media platforms, we can also witness a rise in online peer pressure.

The 5 kinds of peer pressures that happen online:

  • Sending nude photos or “body shots”
  • Sexting
  • Moving a conversation from an approved app to another, sometimes encrypted, app
  • Portraying a “perfect” image of your life

These have led to more serious problems.There’s a big difference between being yourself and fitting in. Doing things just to fit in will never make you happy, cause excessive stress and lower your self esteem. It’s not right if it starts disrupting your mental health.SOME WARNING SIGNS ARE :

  • low mood, feelings of hopelessness
  • Feeling unwanted
  • Frustration and unnecessary aggression
  • sudden change in behaviour, often for no obvious reason
  • trouble falling asleep, sleeping too much or too little
  • loss of appetite or over-eating
  • reluctant to go out with friends
  • withdrawal from activities that you used to like
  • You feel like you want to give up, or you start feeling that life is not worth living.

If you happen to witness changes in your behavior or actions as stated above, it indicates that you are succumbing to the peer pressure. It’s a wake up call for you . It’s never too late.WHAT CAN YOU DO?

  • First of all love, accept and respect who you are.
  • Secondly, Learn to say NO. It’s difficult but it’s important. Say it calmly and in a way that convinces them. If your “friends” are not able to understand that, then it’s time to change them. Hang out with people who share your interests or those who accepts you the way you are, in a group where you do not need to pretend to be someone else. Learn how how to be assertive.
  • Lastly, Talk to someone about your situation . If you are feeling threatened, hurt or pressured, talk to a family member or someone you think will understand and help you. If you think that they will not understand you, or react negatively to yours situation, then you can help from apps where you can share your problems and get solutions. WeHeal aap is one of them.

WeHeal is an Android app which aims to heal people. The services provided by the app justifies the name. This app allows you to anonymously share your problems through open letters. The healers (who are the users) provide solutions to your problems. You can even have one to one personal chats with the healers where you can talk about your situation with them. You will be kept anonymous. No one can even take screenshots or do screen recording, which makes it safer to have your chat. It becomes easier to deal with problems when you have someone who understands them. If you’re dealing with overwhelming feelings of pressure, loneliness, stress or anxiety due to peer pressure, it’s important for you to know that help is available to you. This app also allows you to confess something or talk to someone if you need some emotional support or need help to deal with a heartbreak or are having issues in studies, career, relationships or are burdened by problems. Sharing problems and having someone to listen and care, will make you feel light and happy.The app also has three inbuilt modes which provide you with meditation sessions, happiness quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. There are also short inspirational stories, quotes and experiences written by the users which may encourage you.You are brave enough to deal with it, maybe you just need a little push and support. If You need help. You need to free yourself and You need to talk about it, then you can take help from WeHeal app.Remember that peer pressure is something normal and you are not alone.Download the WeHeal app – http://tinyurl.com/weheal

LONELINESS DURING LOCKDOWN

Stuck in your home alone? Feeling lonely while social distancing? Missing your family and friends? Well, you are not alone. Millions of us are experiencing this during the coronavirus pandemic. Being apart from family and friends for such a long time has become difficult for all of us. When the lockdown was ordered, I myself didn’t get the chance to get back to my family and stay with them. I tried to, but all the interstate transportation was cancelled. It’s been more than a month now that I have been living in my flat all by myself. I am really grateful for the technology in our times that is helping us to stay connected with our loved ones. Zoom calls, skyping, WhatsApp calling etc. have greatly helped us to go through this daily. But it’s not the same. Explain difficult to adapt to this “new normal”. I always loved the “me time” as it helped me to clear my head, explore myself and love myself more, but this much amount of me time is doing no good. Well, excess of everything is bad. I’m now realising how free I was.

Missing those get togethers, chit chats while eating together and outing with friends and family is something we all are experiencing. These feelings are completely normal but can immensely affect our mental health. This feeling of loneliness can increase stress and anxiety and can be worse for someone who is dealing with depression. Loneliness can give way to further more feelings like helplessness, sadness, hopelessness,etc. Yes, the circumstances have affected our loneliness, but the thoughts prevailing in our minds and how we are handling it, affects it more than the circumstances itself. These thoughts determine our loneliness. These negative thoughts increases our insecurity and make us feel unlovable and unwanted. These thoughts makes it more difficult for us to reach out and call others for help, increasing the feeling of loneliness. We can reduce our loneliness to great extent if we deal with these negative thoughts. We can do this by making ourselves believe that we will get over these hard times and that things will get better.

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

  • Communicate regularly with your friends and family through calls, video calls, and sms.
  • If you are feeling anxious, helpless and suffocated , talk about it with your friend or a family member you trust. If you feel that you may make them worried about you, then you can also take help of apps like WeHeal.

http://tinyurl.com/weheal

WeHeal is an Android app which aims to heal people just as the names suggests. The services provided by the app justifies the name. This app allows you to anonymously share your problems through open letters. The healers (who are the users) provide solutions to your problems. You can even have one to one personal chats with the healers where you can talk about your problems with them. You will be kept anonymous. No one can even take screenshots or do screen recording, which makes it safer to have your chat. It becomes easier to deal with problems when you have someone who understands them. Whether you need to confess something or you need some emotional support or if you need help to deal with a heartbreak or are having issues in studies, career, relationships or are burdened by problems, need someone to listen and care, and make you feel light and happy, you can take help from this app. If you’re dealing with overwhelming feelings of loneliness, stress or anxiety, it’s important for you to know that help is available to you. The app also has three inbuilt modes which provide you with meditation sessions, happiness quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. There are also 6 inspirational stories, quotes and experiences written by the users which may encourage you.

  • Stay away from stress: Don’t make yourself indulge in activities that will give you more stress. Limit watching news and reading about the pandemic as you may feel overwhelmed.
  • Practice yoga, exercise and basic workout routines. Our mind and body are connected and that is why physical health will contribute a lot to our mental health. Go for little walks either on your roof or around your neighbourhood.
  • If you are feeling useless, like you have lost your purpose, find a new hobby (painting, dancing, writing, etc) , online courses, or apply for any internship. This may provide you with a sense of purpose.
  • Play online games with friends and family or even strangers.
  • Do something that makes you happy. Staying away from things and people that irritates you and make you feel bad is the best option, not just during the pandemic but in every stage of your life.
  • Distract distract yourself from the negativity. Start reading a new book, watch movies of the genre you love or start a new series. Binge watch friends or the office if you want to feel stressfree. If you if you haven’t watched any of this, then now is the best time to start. Watch TED talks or other interesting videos on YouTube.
  • Practice gratitude : even in midst of great difficulties, we can always find things for which we are truly grateful. Appreciate and thank every person who are helping you through this situation, your family, friends and the doctors and nurses and every other person who are risking their lives just to save ours. Give gratitude for every little thing that you are blessed to have. Studies have proved that when you thank others you love yourself more, you feel happy and contented with yourself.
  • Take at least 8 hours of sleep.
  • Help others : you may know other people who’s mental health is affected negatively during this pandemic. Talk to them and provide your support to them. Through WeHeal app, you can even help other people by replying to them and helping them get through their tough situations through your experience. It is proved that we feel more positive when we help someone. We feel happy about what we are doing and that we are making a difference in someone’s life.

It can be extremely difficult to stay positive with so much going around you, but it’s not impossible to do so. This coronavirus pandemic is filled with challenges and uncertainty. We have no idea when all of this will get over. All we can do is deal courageously with it. It’s a great time to explore ourself more and learn some new things. This time period has also made us realise the importance of our family, friends and our freedom, which we take for granted. This will get over soon. Just remember that a dark night can never defeat a sunrise.

DEPRESSION, the word which is often misunderstood

“Depression”- a term which is casually used by most of us. “The lecture today was so depressing”, “my boyfriend is not talking to me properly, I’m feeling depressed” etc. In day to day life, we often use the term depression to refer to normal feelings after significant loss, breakup of relationship or failure to attain a significant goal. While you think that it’s just a “word”, you don’t realize how serious it is. The term depression is casually used by us to refer to grief, frustration, sadness, loneliness or disappointment. Yes, these negative feelings should be taken seriously, since there is a possibility that they can lead to depression, but not everyone with these feelings has depression. Casual use of this term is sometimes because of lack of knowledge about it. People need to understand the difference between the two, these negative feelings that we go through most of the time, may go away in a few days but not depression. Depression is a serious mental illness. According to WHO, more than 264 million people of all ages suffer from depression globally. It is different from our short lived emotional response to daily stress. The person dealing with depression suffers a great deal of mental and physical exhaustion. Up to 15% of patients with severe depression die from suicide. It is something that should not be taken lightly. It is a mental health disease which results from complex interaction of biological, psychological and social factors. It is not something that someone can just get over with.
We sometimes confuse depression with feelings of grief or sadness. We are all humans and it’s normal for us to feel sad, disappointed or frustrated due to certain situations, weather its failing in an exam, losing a job, having argument with spouse, monetary problems etc. We do get over these feelings when we witness a change in our circumstances. It can take a few hours, few days and sometimes, even a week, but not more than that. Whereas in depression, these feelings become overwhelming, cause physical symptoms, and last for a long period of time (for 2 consecutive weeks and more). Depression keeps you from leading a normal, active life. It interferes with your work, relationships, and other daily tasks. It does not get over just because you wanted it to. Depression is more than just sadness. People with depression may experience symptoms like :

• Low mood

• Loss of interest in everything

• Feeling of worthlessness and excessive guilt

• Restlessness or tiredness

• Recurrent feelings and thoughts of suicide and death

• Disturbed sleep (too little or too much)

• Loss or increase in appetite

• Change in body weight.

• Inability to think clearly

• Agitation

• Loss of energy

• Greatly slowed behaviour

According to psychiatry guidelines, if you feel like you have at least 5 of these symptoms, you qualify for a diagnosis of depression. Depending on the number and extremity of these symptoms, depression can be categorized as mild moderate and severe. According to National institute of mental health, it takes the average person suffering with mental illness over 10 years to ask for help. The good thing is that depression is totally treatable. there are various effective treatments like therapies, medications which usually go side by side. Medications usually increase the amount of serotonin in our brain. Some studies shows that less amount of serotonin or the feel good chemical in our brain is one of the biological cause of depression. They have been many researches but none have been successful in finding the main cause of depression.
Talking about depression can help a lot. Research shows that asking someone about suicidal thoughts reduces their suicide risk. The cause of the stigma attached to mental illness it becomes difficult for people suffering from it to talk about it and ask for help. Open conversation about mental health is something really important to be discussed about.

THE FIGHT

It is possible to prevent another episode of depression. Dealing with depression is difficult since you become completely devoid of energy, hope and motivation. You start feeling drained and empty. Just thinking about these things seems tough but it’s not impossible. There are a few ways that could help you to fight depression and maybe prevent them :

• Indulging in exercising and yoga : when you exercise you release chemicals like endorphins, which can boost mood . Yoga helps you to stay calm and bring more positive feelings. You can also join some sport.

• Eating healthy : when you eat a balanced and nutritious diet, your mental and physical health experiences a boost. Eating foods with high fat and sugar can increase stress and symptoms of depression.

• Staying away from stress : stress is a common cause of depression. There are many ways to reduce stress like meditating, exercising, eating healthy and being socially connected. Having a strong social support system is important in dealing with stress and other mental health problems. Regular interactions with family and friends is really important. Learning to let things go also helps in reducing stress.

•Sharing how you feel : sharing our feelings and emotions is one of the most important thing which helps in preventing stress and fighting depression. It’s always better to share your problems with someone who you think will understand you and provide you with help. There is nothing wrong in asking for help. There is nothing to be ashamed of to share your story or experiences triggering depression. Sharing emotions help us to restore equilibrium, think clearly and most importantly, to let go of negative emotions that are bottling up inside us. There is always this fear, what is the person doesn’t understand us, makes fun of our situation, judge us, or not able to provide us with what we need in return. It’s okay to have these fears and there is a solution to every problem. There is a social application WeHeal which has an intention to help people heal, just like the name suggests. It is an anonymous chat platform, we can discuss what ever is troubling you. The healers who are basically the uses of the app, will listen to you, understand you and help you with your situation. Since you are anonymous, it will become easier for you to say what ever you want to. This app provides a non judgement environment. You can confess anything or ask anything regarding to your studies, career, relationships, heartbreak or anything. It’s really not healthy keep things inside you. It’s important to let them out and this app may help you in that.

You can download WeHeal – http://tinyurl.com/weheal .

Give it a try. Maybe you’ll find the answers.
There are also three inbuilt features which provide you with meditation sessions, psychological quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. There are also short inspirational stories, quotes and experiences written by the users which may encourage you. It also gives you the opportunity to help other people who are facing troubles by replying to them and providing solutions to their issues with the help of our experience.

• Keeping the giant hand difference from toxic people : people who lower self esteem, make us feel bad about ourselves, doesn’t care about us should be thrown out of life.

• Avoid alcohol and smoking

• Getting at least 8 hours of sleep

• Dealing with triggering situations: like death anniversary , or coming across a particular person or a group. Prepare yourself for the situation and make yourself believe that you will get through it. Take help from a friend or a close one .

• Seek a therapist when needed : no when your symptoms have increased and take help of a mental health counselor or your therapist.

It’s high time that we take depression seriously. It’s really sad that despite its immense impact on individuals, depression is not taken seriously. Depression has no cure but it is treatable especially when it’s recognised and properly diagnosed. Timely help is needed and it can only be done if the person does not feel ashamed and seek help. For this we need to talk more openly about mental health. It’s a great step by the WeHeal app to break this stigma and talk about mental health.

MENTAL HEALTH

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?

Mental health is the level of psychological (cognitive, behavioral and emotional) well being and therefore it affects how we think, feel and act. World Health Organization (WHO), defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”.

WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT- PHYSICAL HEALTH OR MENTAL HEALTH?

It actually bothers me that physical health is given much more attention than mental health, even though both are the essentials of life. In fact a healthy mind leads to a healthy life, since all our thoughts are governed by our mind and these thoughts dictate our actions. Most people just work on their physical appearances and physical health but give least consideration to their mental health and emotional health. Many people have beaming physical appearance but are rotting inside. To be happy we need to have a good connection between a mind and body. Exercising regularly , staying positive, meditating and opting for a healthy lifestyle not only keeps us physically healthy but also keeps our mind and emotions in check. These things help us to develop a control on our mind, thoughts ,emotions and on our life. These two terms (mind and body) go hand in hand and are equally important. A proper balance between these two is a must for happy and youthful life .

MENTAL ILLNESS

Some people define mental health as the absence of mental illness. Mental illness includes wide range of conditions that affect a person’s cognitive, emotional and behavioural wellbeing. It affects many people in this world and can be very dangerous, if not given attention can make the individual indulge in self harm, Suicide, and substance abuse. There are a lot of stigmas attached to mental illness which prevents people to open up and get help when they need it the most. Hiding it from everyone only makes it worse. Allowing yourself to get help is the best thing you could do for yourself. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Mental illness can happen to anyone irrespective of their age, gender, class, religion, status, race, sexual orientation or background. Some forms of mental illness are mild, some are moderate and some are sever, affecting our daily life. Serious mental disorders include bipolar disorder, depressive disorder and schizophrenia. The need to be treated as soon as they are diagnosed. Mental health disorders are treatable. Help is available anywhere and anytime in the form of psychologists, mental health counsellors and psychiatrists.

5 warning signs of mental illness, especially when you have two or more of these symptoms:

1. Long-lasting sadness or irritability
2. Extremely high and low moods
3. Excessive fear, worry, or anxiety
4. Social withdrawal
5. Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits.

HOW TO MAINTAIN MENTAL HEALTH?

There are a few ways to keep your mind healthy in the first place:

– staying positive : thinking positively and staying away from negative thoughts and people is helpful.

–regular exercise and yoga : getting physically active keeps our mind fresh and healthy. It helps to turn the negative energy enter positive energy.

– eating healthy and balanced diet : healthy diet strengthens the immune system and gives more energy to cope up with the stresses of life.

– practicing meditation : is a skill which helps the body to relax, stay calm and is a great way to fight mental illness.

– getting enough sleep : lack of sleep can cause unfavorable effects on both mental and physical health.

– socially connecting with others and helping others : humans are social beings and everyone loves to be cared and supported. Connecting with others help us relieve stress and problems faced in daily life. It’s important to share your problems with someone. Talking to someone about stressful issues may help you to go through your problem, finding ways to tackle it, release the build up tension, and see the situation more clearly and with others perspectives. It helps you know that you are not alone. If you feel like no one will listen or understand you, will judge you for your situation, then you can take help from an app called WeHeal.

WeHeal is an android application that helps people move through difficult times and help people when they need it the most. It’s an anonymous chat platform where you can share whatever is troubling you or causing stress. The person is free to share anything that is troubling them, whether it is related to career, jobs, relationships,or you’re feeling demotivated and confusion. The healers (who are the users of the app) will help you find solutions and make through your problems. WeHeal provides you a judgement free zone. If you do not have someone to lean on or share anything, but you want to clear your mind and feel less stressed and want some answers to your conflicts, then you can lean on to this app and it’s healers who will help you go through your stressful situations. Anonymous chat feature will help you to talk personally about your situation. There are also three inbuilt features which provide you with meditation sessions, psychological quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. There are also short inspirational stories, quotes and experiences written by the users which may encourage you.

Lastly, helping other also has a positive affect on your mental health. You feel more positive and happy when you help others. Research have proved that doing something good for others, whether big or small, not only feels good but also does good to us. Recent research suggests yet another way our well-being can benefit from practicing pro-social behavior: helping others regulate their emotions helps us regulate our own emotions, decreases symptoms of depression and ultimately, improves our emotional well-being. Two common ways to help others regulate their emotions are acceptance (showing empathy) and reappraisal (helping others think about their situation in a different way). WeHeal app gives you the opportunity to help other people who are facing troubles by replying to them and providing solutions to the issues they are facing with the help of your experience.
It’s important for everyone to take care of their mental health, since it has direct connection to happiness. So take care and stay happy .

Download the WeHeal app –http://tinyurl.com/weheal

MOTIVATION

WHAT IS MOTIVATION?

Motivation is the general willingness to do things. It is the desire to act to perform the goal or the activity. Motivation is required to set and attain one’s objective but it’s not possible to always be motivated. Motivation is what keeps us moving weather its fetching a glass of water when thirsty or studying before an exam. It is the driving force behind human actions. We do realize that simply wishing for something is not enough. We have to work towards it and it can only be done if we have the motivation to do it. There are two types of motivation:

EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION : If an individual is getting motivated from external sources like praise, salary, rewards, money, social recognition, etc., then it’s extrinsic motivation, also called the external motivation.

INTRINSIC MOTIVATION : if an individual is motivated by internal desires like enjoyment, interest, happiness, fulfillment, etc., then it’s intrinsic motivation.

There are some days when we feel demotivated. We have a lack of direction, which acts as a blockage in achievement of our goals. There are many reasons to feel demotivated, such as :

• The characteristics of the task– how simple, difficult or lengthy the task is.

• Interest of individual– The individual may only be motivated if the task is interesting for him or stimulates his curiosity. Uninteresting tasks may lead to procrastination.

• Lack of confidence and self doubt– when we doubt our ability to accomplish our goal, we become incapable to take action.

• Low mood– lack of motivation can be a symptom of low mood.

If the low mood and lack of motivation prevails for more than 2 years along with a few symptoms of depression, then it might be a sign of serious mental health issue called dysthymia. It’s better to consult a psychologist or a mental health counselor in such situation.

For each one of us it’s always easy and much more interesting to watch just one more episode, or to scroll through our Instagram feeds or watching senseless videos on YouTube. But studying and working is always the most difficult task and we just can’t find the motivation to do them. As we approach nearer to our exams and deadlines of work, there is a sudden rise of panic in our hearts but we still can’t get a hold on to motivation to complete such tasks. Procrastination is the first and foremost thing that separates us from motivation. We have so much work to do, and so many chapters to study but these endless, boring and tiring tasks makes us overwhelmed and we start wasting our time with a panic-stricken mind. Sounds familiar? Yes? That’s procrastination, both the cause and the result of lack of motivation. Well, you are not alone.

It’s easy to concentrate and instill a bit of motivation and start the task, but it’s easier to lose the motivation to continue it. We fail to achieve the goals because our motivation bids us goodbye. Once we are no longer motivated, procrastination kicks in. The usual causes of procrastination are:

• You have decided that the task is boring.

• You have convinced yourself that the task is beyond your capabilities.

• You are waiting for the “perfect” time to start.

• The task has become so immense that now you don’t know where to start.

We just can’t deny the above mentioned causes. We all have experienced them. To cite my own personal example, my exam was the next day and I was left with the entire syllabus to study. I called my classmates and asked how much they have done and it wasn’t a surprise to me that they had almost completed the syllabus. But this too failed to Spark motivation inside me. Procrastination was conquering my mind and was not allowing me to prepare for my exam. The only source of motivation at that time was my friend who used to talk me out of panic and successfully motivated me to study with really weird ways of her own.

Lack of motivation has been more common during the times of the corona crisis. The lockdown has forced everyone to sit at home. It would have been better if there was no work to do but employees are asked to work from home and students are asked to study at home. The most common reason for lacking motivation and dedicatedly following the slogan “Netflix and chill”, is that we are way too comfortable at our home. Since there is no workplace environment and strict studying environment, it has become difficult to concentrate on doing the given tasks. Studying and working together with friends and social recognition were the important motivators which are missing in the current situation. Self isolation is also causing anxiety, panic, self doubt and worries inside us which ads on to lack of motivation. The deadline to complete work is closed and we still have no motivation to do the work and it is creating a lot of panic and anxiety inside us. What should we do? Let’s start by taking deep breaths. It will help us to calm down a little bit. The second step is to divide the task and as you complete the divided parts of the task one by one, reward yourself. Sometimes talking to someone helps us to ease our anxiety and helps us to carry on work with motivation, like in my case it was my friend who used to motivate me during such situations, as I stated before. But these important people aren’t always available for us. For that time, there is an app called “WeHeal” .

WeHeal is a social application intending to help people who are dealing with tough situation, whether they are feeling demotivated, having problems in career, studies or relationships, facing confusion, not able to deal with heartbreak etc. Whatever the issue may be, the healers (the users) of this app will help you find solution and go through the terrible situations. The app provides a non judgmental environment where you can anonymously share your problem or chat with the healers. Since the application keeps you anonymous, becomes easier to pour your heart out without being judged. There are also inspirational stories, quotations and experiences shared by the users to keep you motivated. You can even help others by replying to their problems and providing solutions to the issues of others with the help of your experience. There are also three inbuilt features which provide you with meditation sessions, psychological quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. Privacy is respected the most in this app. No one is allowed to take screenshot or screen record anything. Remember that you are not alone.

There is nothing bad and embarrassing in sharing your problems with someone and asking for their help. It will only help you in clearing your mind and make you feel light and happy. Isn’t that the only thing we want?

Follow WeHeal

Instagram – https://instagram.com/heal.weheal?igshid=url56ab0qn3i

Facebook –http://facebook.com/weheal

Download the app –http://tinyurl.com/weheal

ANXIETY

Remember how our heart starts beating fast, worries and tensions conquers mind, nervousness starts terrorizing us before or during a difficult situation? THAT’S ANXIETY. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as, “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure”. Experiencing anxiety can be normal in stressful situations like performing before an audience, first day of school or college, giving interview, or giving exams. It’s a feeling of fear and uneasiness about what’s going to happen next. The causes and symptoms of anxiety are subjective to everyone. My anxiety symptoms might be different from yours. The situations triggering my anxiety might be different from your situations. Some common symptoms of anxiety are increased heart rate, rapid breathing, trouble concentrating, restlessness, sleeplessness, nervousness, and feeling of worry and fear. It’s not unusual to experience anxiety before any big event or an important decisions. It is an expected and a common response to situations which might be stressful to an individual. The feeling of anxiousness usually passes away once the stressful situation is over. But when this anxious feelings happen without any reason and don’t go away for months, interfering and causing problems in our daily life, then it might be the sign of anxiety disorder.

I too experience anxiety in many situations, usually before giving an exam, giving an interview and before making stage appearances. I get anxious even before taking some important decisions that will bring a specific change in my life. I found out a few strategies to help me find relief from this anxious feeling. These are:

• Following some relaxing techniques like deep breathing and meditating. They help to calm our mind and make us feel less anxious. Deep breathing minimises the symptoms.

• Doing something that brings us comfort and divert our mind from the feeling of anxiety. It can be anything like watching a favorite movie or a favorite TV show or reading a book flipping through magazines.

• Scribbling your feelings and emotions in your diary.

• Channelizing your energy into exercise and working out.

• Eating a balanced and healthy diet. A healthy diet helps in lifting the mood and provide more energy.

• Reach out to someone you are comfortable talking to and talk whatever you feel like, weather the feelings that you are experiencing right now or something you did or saw. Good relationships are one of the best ways to feel better. Talking to a friend or a family member will help to boost your mood. Finding a reliable source of support and encouragement is always helpful during anxiety. People dealing with anxiety want to be heard and understood. They want someone to treat them with understanding and compassion.

If you don’t have someone reliable to talk to, then you can rely on the WeHeal App. It is an application that seeks to tackle mental health problems. It is an anonymous chat platform where we can share our current feelings and problems. Dealing with anxiety is not easy but if we have someone to listen and understand us, then it becomes way more easier.

Through this app people can share their current feelings and concerns anonymously either in a personal chat or publically. The solution to the problems will be given by the healers of this app who are currently the users and have dealt with or experienced the same situations. They will provide a non judgement zone where you can share what’s going on in your mind. The healers will give you possible solutions to your problems. If you just want to be heard and understood, then this app might be helpful. Mental issues are not paid much attention nowadays. It still considered a taboo in our country. People facing mental health issues are not able to express themselves which is causing most of the trouble. With the help of WeHeal App, people going through such issues can share their problems, talk to the healers and feel light, understood and happy. The healers will provide moral support to boost your confidence. Privacy is respected the most in this app, since you will be kept anonymous. Anonymous chat feature will help you to talk personally about your situation. There are also three inbuilt features which provide you with meditation sessions, psychological quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. There are also short inspirational stories, quotes and experiences written by the users which may encourage you.
But if you are experiencing symptoms like constant worrying, sleeplessness, unexplained emotional changes, losing interest in everything and feeling of worthlessness or helplessness, for 3 weeks or more, you should make an appointment to see a counselor or a psychologist. Anxiety disorders are amongst the most common mental health issues but are treatable . Stay Happy, stay stressfree and follow WeHeal.

Instagram – https://instagram.com/heal.weheal?igshid=url56ab0qn3i

Facebook –http://facebook.com/weheal

Download the app –http://tinyurl.com/weheal

CONFLICTS


Conflicts are a part and parcel of life. Human mind is never at peace. Conflicts hold an indispensable place in the mind vessel. It is common to everyone and everyone has to face them. Conflict can be any disagreement with our own selves or between two or more individuals. Conflicts is basically a clash of interest. Conflicts may vary according to the situation but, it’s always a part of one’s life and society. There are many areas of conflicts like social conflicts, relationship conflicts, workplace conflicts, motivational conflicts, internal conflicts, interpersonal conflicts etc.

Social conflicts– It arises when the beliefs, values, desires health by one individual or group are opposed by another individual or group. It can emerge between parents and children, friends, colleagues at work, etc. Social conflicts are a part of every relationship and social interaction. Whenever we run into a conflicting situation, it usually arouses negative emotions, anxiety and tensions. We just feel like avoiding the conflicts but the problem is that we can’t avoid them completely. It will always exist whether it’s as huge and serious as workplace conflict or something small all like who gets the last slice of pizza. Conflicts can bring the worst out of a person.

Relationship conflicts- life is all about relationships whether it’s personal relationship or a professional relationship. Anyone who has interactions with other people is going to experience conflict. It’s an inescapable aspect of human relationship, weather its parent child relationship, friendships or romantic relationships. It usually arises because of the difference in individual’s personalities or because of negative emotional interactions. For example I was sharing an apartment and my roommate and I started having conflicts because I am a really neat person and I kept the apartment tidy but she was always Messy . The mess irritated me and it created tension between us. Relationship conflict can arise due to disagreement between two people within a relationship. No two individuals are same. When we are unable to understand this, it leads to conflicts. For example conflicts with fiancé over whom to invite to the wedding. These conflicts will either make relationship strong or destroy them.

Motivational conflicts- These conflicts are a source of frustration. Some of the earliest experimental psychologists studied conflicts and found four major types of conflicts:

• Approach-approach conflict – Let’s say you got two internships that you want to do but they are scheduled for the same time. This is the approach-approach conflict, when a person is faced with two attractive alternators but can only choose one.

• Avoidance-avoidance conflict – Let’s say a person got the job that he extremely dislikes but has to do it because otherwise he will lose his only income. Or a student has to do his math assignment or he will be punished. Avoidance-avoidance conflicts involve two negative goals and the person has to choose one to avoid the other undesirable alternative. One feels like avoiding these conflicts, desiring to leave both the situations but it’s not an option. We do face conflicts in our life which are unavoidable. It generates many intense emotions. We all face things we do not want to do but must do or face less desirable alternative.

• Approach-avoidance conflicts – Suppose you got a job that you have always desired but they are offering you a very less pay or you have to travel for 2 hours to reach the workplace. In this type of conflicts a person is both attracted and repelled by the same goal object. There are drawbacks always clung to the things that we often rigorously desire to possess. To cite my own personal example, I earnestly wanted to work as an intern with a company. I attended to the pre-requisites required for the same – took a written test, got interviewed and got selected. However I could not benefit myself monetarily .It was an unavoidable conflict for me and I chose to work for free just to gain experience. A person decides to approach it because of the positive side but, as it is approached the negative side becomes stronger. It is one of the most difficult conflicts to be resolved and it causes a lot of frustration. In such cases people reach the goal but much more slowly then they would have without the negative part. Even after the goal is reached, the individual may feel uneasy and frustrated because of the negative attached to it. Emotions like fear, anger, resentment are likely to a accompany approach-avoidance conflict.

• Double approach-avoidance conflicts – A person having to choose between working but feeling guilty for not spending time with family versus being with family but not making any money. It is a forced choice between two approach-avoidance conflicts. One must choose between both the options, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. Many of our life’s major decisions involve double or multiple approach-avoidance conflicts.


In life we also face a lot of inner conflicts, occurring in situations where half of our mind says, “it’s great, let’s do it” and the other half says, “what if you fail since it really scary. What if this happens? What is that happens?” . Like I want to go to Australia for my further studies but there is a fear that what if it’ll turn out to be a waste of a huge amount of my parent’s money. We always have options but we struggle to choose between them. Struggling with conflicts can only cause frustration and can lead to mental health problems. It’s better to resolve conflicts as soon as they start to occur. Sometimes you are not able to find the right thing to do or decide what to choose. Someone’s opinion can always help. It’s always better to take help from someone experience. If you don’t have anyone to help you choose and you don’t find anyone cling to for help, you can lean on a social app called “WeHeal”.


It is an app aiming to help people who are going through difficult times and confusing situations. It is an anonymous chat platform where we can share anything that is making us feel heavy and stressed this app basically provides help to people what are facing some issues and trouble in their life. The person is free to share whatever problem he or she is facing. Any person who is in a conflicting situation and is not able to find a solution can take the help of the healers in this app. You can chat anonymously to the healers and share your situation. The healers will listen to you patiently, understand your situation and suggest you a solution. There are also inspirational short stories and quotes which you can read to be inspired. The application will keep you anonymous and this will makes it easy for you to pour your heart out. If you’re having any conflicts related to studies, career, important decisions and you are burdened with problems, and need someone to listen and care, and you want to feel light, you can refer to this application. If you want to clear your mind and feel less stressed and want some answers to your conflicts, then you can lean on to this app and it’s healers who will help you go through your conflicting and stressful situations. It’s always better to share our conflicts with someone than to bear them alone.

Follow WeHeal

Instagram – https://instagram.com/heal.weheal?igshid=url56ab0qn3i

Facebook –http://facebook.com/weheal

Download the app –http://tinyurl.com/weheal

DEALING WITH STRESS

Living life can be hard, confusing, weird and well, stressful. Stress is basically our body’s response to certain situations . Hans Selye, the father of modern stress research, defined stress as “the non specific response of the body to any demand.” A situation that is stressful for you, may not be stressful for me. Stress is totally subjective. Everyone’s response to a stressful situation depends on his/her experiences and how he perceived the event (positively or negatively). If one has a positive attitude and social support to deal with the crisis he or she will feel less stressed. Let me give you an instance from my life, a situation which is very common to us all. I had an exam the next day and I did not study really well for it. I studied till 2 a.m. in the night but was unable to concentrate anymore because my brain was literally exhausted, I decided to sleep. I set an alarm of 6:00 a.m. in the morning thinking that I will wake up and start studying so that I would at least pass my exam. But stress of the exam didn’t let me sleep. I started to think about situations that if I will fail or not get the required marks, what will I do then. I started blaming myself for fooling around the whole day and for not studying anything before. My alarm rang at 6:00 a.m. I woke up stressed, I didn’t feel like eating, my stomach got upset which made me more tense. I barely made it in time to my college and It turned out that I have forgotten my admit card. I started crying not knowing what to do. Basically when you are stressed your thinking gets cloudy and that is what happened with me. So I just sat there for a minute, took some deep breaths and called my mum and asked her to send the photos of my admit card. I went to give my exam 15 minutes late and when I opened my question paper my heart pounded, my hands started sweating and my mind went blank. I felt so angry with myself at that moment but I realized that I needed to calm down and think about the answers. It was not like I have not studied at all. I did study a bit. Turns out I knew half of the answers and it made me a feel less stressed. I promised to not do this for the next exam. But these type of promises are meant to be broken, right? By giving this example from my life, I explained how badly stress can affect our mind and body. We all go through such situations in our life. In some cases when we are exposed to a stressful situation for a long time and are not able to cope with it, it becomes a gateway to serious mental health problems like anxiety, depression, etc. I recently read about a study which showed that younger people who routinely face heavy workloads and extreme time pressure on the job are more likely to experience major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

Life poses challenges all the time – losing someone close, not having anyone to care for us, being in an abusive relationship, night time jobs, shortage of money, examinations, etc. All of us try to meet these challenges in our own ways. Some of us succeed while others get stuck in such life situations. Much of it depends on how we view and handle these challenges. If handled properly, stress increases the probability of one’s survival. It’s just like electricity. It gives us energy, increases our arousal and affects our performances. And if it’s too high, it may damage appliances (body) and fuse bulbs (exhaust our mind). Let’s see you have a dance performance in an hour. You see the crowd of the audience and experience a certain amount of stress. If you take it positively and it made your performance better, then it’s positive stress, also known as eustress. If it ruined your performance because you got anxious on seeing the crowd, then its negative stress, which we feel most of the time. Some most important sources of psychological stress are frustration, conflicts, internal and social pressures, heartbreak, losing a loved one, moving away from home, daily life hassles, noisy and quarrelsome surroundings, traumatic events etc. Stress can also be caused because of lack of nutritious diet and when we fail to get enough sleep. Stress ruins our sleeping patterns, increases skin problems, heart rate and blood pressure, and messes with our digestion causing heartburn, indigestion, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. Stress decreases our confidence, increases mood swings, tension and erratic behavior and cause some serious emotional problems.

So now the question arises how can we manage stress?

Stress is a silent killer and there are a few ways to tackle it :

• First of all start eating a healthy diet and performing daily exercise and yoga. A balanced diet can lift one’s mood and give more energy. It strengthens the immune system and make one feel better to cope with stress of life. Exercise can provide release of negative energy is caused by stress.

• Practice meditation and relaxation techniques. It is a skill that reduces symptoms of stress and relaxes the body. Whenever in a stressful situation, try taking deep breaths which is used to calm the mind and relax the body.

• Lastly, being socially connected helps us to deal better with stress. Everyone need some social support without being judged in any situation. No support makes the situation worse and difficult to cope with. I recently read a study which said that people who have supportive relationships have lower levels of stress than people who have cold and unsupportive relationships full of conflicts. It’s also better find someone experienced to talk to you. We can feel light after sharing our stressful situation with someone.

If we feel that people will judge us for the situation that we are in instead of helping us, then there is an app – “WeHeal”.

It is a social app with an intention to help people to heal, just as the name suggests. It is an anonymous chat platform where we can share anything that is making us feel heavy and stressed. This app basically provides help to people who are facing some issues and troubles in their life. The person is free to share whatever problem he or she is facing. Whether they need to confess something or they need some support or someone has gone through a heartbreak or are having issues in studies, are burdened by problems, need someone to listen and care, and make them feel light and happy. He/she can share the story with a community of users of the app who are the healers. The healers provide solutions to their problems and the way to cope with them. The application keeps them anonymous and this makes it easy for them to pour their heart out without being judged. There are also inspirational short stories, quotes and experiences to encourage them. There are also three inbuilt features which provide you with meditation sessions, psychological quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. If one doesn’t have someone to lean on or share anything with someone, but you want to clear your mind and feel less stressed and want some answers to your conflicts, then you can lean on to this app and it’s healers who will help you go through your stressful situations. However, that can be so overbearing that it seems impossible to move on, like, the death of a loved one or overwhelming feelings of anxiety, it’s important you know that help is available to you. For serious problems , it’ll be the right decision to seek a councellor or a therapist.

It is better to share our burdens with someone than carrying those burdens alone. A stress-free mind leads to a happy life.

Follow WeHeal

Instagram – https://instagram.com/heal.weheal?igshid=url56ab0qn3i

Facebook –http://facebook.com/weheal

Download the app –http://tinyurl.com/weheal

WeHeal App Review


Sometimes we all feel like sharing all our problems, feelings and burdens. We just want to talk to someone without being judged and to share things anonymously with someone who understands, has experience and will help us to get through tough times. While searching for a way to do this, I came across this app – “WeHeal” It is a social app with an intention to help people to heal, just as the name suggests. It is an anonymous chat platform where you can share anything that is making you feel heavy and stressed. Here comes the in depth review of this beautiful application.


SO HOW EXACTLY DOES THIS APP HELP PEOPLE?

This app basically provides help to people who are facing some issues and troubles in their life. The person is free to share whatever problem he or she is facing. Whether they need to confess something or they need some support or someone has gone through a heartbreak or are having issues in studies, are burdened by problems, need someone to listen and care, and make them feel light and happy, this is the app for them. He/she can share the story with a community of users of the app who are the healers. The healers provide solutions to their problems and the way to cope with them. The application keeps them anonymous and this makes it easy for them to pour their heart out without being judged. This helps them to overcome problems of all kinds without having to share their identity. There are also inspirational short stories, quotes and experiences to encourage them.


SIGNING UP AND LOGGING IN

Signing up for this is pretty simple. First screen that’ll pop up after the installation of the app will be for you to register. It is possible through your phone number. Then you will be asked to set up your profile by putting in the basic details about yourself including your name, age and gender. The signing up process and setting up a new profile is not at all wearisome. It’s quite easy and short. And by being time saving it prevents the user from losing interest before even using the app.

FEATURES OF THIS APPLICATION

WeHeal offers features like anonymous chat, writing anonymous letters, writing quotes to help other going through their difficult times. You can also reply to help other people in need and to motivate them. The person sharing their problems receives replies from people around the world who are willing to help others through their experience.

  • •Anonymous Chat–  This feature provides a quick and instant help.  You can use this anonymous chat feature to connect with people across the globe to have a conversation instantly. For the chat, instead of matching two random users, the app sends notifications to all the online users when someone clicks on the chat button.
  • • Writing Anonymous letters to share your feelings and concerns is another good feature. You can write about any situation in a letter which would be completely anonymous.
  • • There is also a feature where you can write quotes and short stories to inspire and help others to go through their difficult times.
  • • You can write replies to help others. Moving through difficult situations helps us gain a lot of experience which we can use to help others who are going through difficult times. Sharing experiences and giving advice is made all the more easy with the WeHeal app. You can view letters written by people near and far describing their problems which you can reply to.
  • • There are a few more interesting features in the application . There is a mood detector which is basically a quiz that asks a few questions and then makes an assumption of the user’s current mood. It is called Happiness quiz.
  • • The application also provides a meditation session to calm your mind and make you feel relaxed.
  • • There is also a mini-game to improve your patience  level. They even check your stress level before starting the game and the meditation session.


    • IS THIS APPLICATION PAID OR UNPAID ?

    The WeHeal app is free of cost in the playstore. I have not observed any in-app purchase options yet, so I believe all the services are totally free for everyone.

    BENEFICIAL FACTORS
    WeHeal‘s unique display system makes it impossible to copy or take a screenshot from your device. You cannot even screen record anything. This makes the app safer for users. In addition to this, there are no advertisements to bother the users.


    SIMILAR APPLICATIONS

    There are a few applications where people can confess anonymously and chat with others. These applications include WHISPER,  SECRET – SPEAK FREELY, etc . But there is plenty of inappropriate content in apps like whisper and secret, especially for teenagers using them. All too often, whispers are sexual. Some use Whisper to seek others for sexual activities using the app’s geo-location “nearby” feature which makes it unsafe for users. Strong language and drug and alcohol references are also common .