Insomnia

Insomnia, according to American psychiatric association (APA), is the disorder in which people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It is the most common sleeping disorder. The conditions of insomnia can be short term and long term. The short term insomnia, also called acute insomnia, is most probably caused due to stress upsetting automatic events changes in sleeping habits. It lasts for one night to a few weeks. Whereas, Chronic insomnia lasts for at least three months. It is mainly caused due to medical conditions (arthritis, heartburn, cancer, back pain), psychological issues (anxiety, depression), and substance abuse.

Insomnia is most common in people who have high level of stress, lower income, emotional disorders, changes in working hours, night shifts, or are struggling with cardiovascular disorders and obesity. Insomnia affects women and older people more than men and young individuals.

SYMPTOMS OF INSOMNIA :

Waking up too early in the morning
Unrefreshing sleep
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Irritability
Fatigue
Mood changes
Difficulty concentrating on tasks
Daytime tiredness and sleepiness

There are two types of insomnia:

Primary insomnia : sleeping problem not linked with any other health condition or problems.
Secondary insomnia : sleeping troubles because of other health issues.

Causes of primary insomnia :

Stress related to significant life events (concerns about work, school, finance, family relationships, death of a loved one, shifting to a new place, divorce, job loss, etc)
Surroundings (light, noise, temperature)
Changes in sleep schedule (jetlag, night shift)

Causes of secondary insomnia :

Mental health issues like depression, anxiety or post traumatic stress disorder.
Pain or discomfort at night
Medications (certain antidepressants aur medications for asthma, blood pressure, pain, allergy or cold)
Sleep related disorders like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.

ANXIETY AND INSOMNIA

According to Australia’s sleep health foundation, anxiety and working are the leading cause of insomnia. Short term anxiety can be caused due to worrying frequently about the same specific events, work, relationships, etc. This anxiety usually goes away when the issue is resolved and are sleep returns back to normal.

WHAT CAN WE DO ?

Acute insomnia may not need treatment. Lifestyle changes and good sleeping habits helps us fight and prevent it.

If it’s caused due to stressful events, it is better to share them with someone. Sharing our feelings always helps us feel less stressful and light. Infact, when we share, we tend to find solutions which we were not able to think of. The person might help us find our way back. Talk to someone you trust and rely on. If you don’t want to talk to them, you can also talk to people on some apps like WeHeal. It is an app available on Android, where you can share whatever you are feeling, anonymously. You can share your issues through open letters or talk privately on personal chats. You will always be anonymous. The app has many healers, who are basically the users. The healers will read your open letters and reply to them with possible solutions. You can vent or even confess anything. You can discuss any issue related to work, studies, career, relationships, family, disease. You can also help someone with any advice related to their issues. You can download the WeHeal app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.weheal.weheal

Good sleeping habits like : going to bed at the same time daily, no use of phone or laptop for at least an hour before sleeping. Follow relaxing routine before bed like reading a book, listening to soft music or taking a bath before going to sleep. Drink warm milk or herbal tea before sleeping. Don’t drink caffeinated drinks before going to sleep.
Exercise daily. Never exercise just before going to bed. You can exercise either in the morning or at least 3-4 hours before sleep.
Meditation is also one of the most helpful way. It calms our mind and relaxes our body. You can find meditation commentary or music online and even on the WeHeal app, along with more features of happiness quiz, mini patience game and inspirational stories and quotes.

Know more about WeHeal here – https://youtu.be/Ei3ooL2nblg

https://youtu.be/ybLLVFma2Gg

Insomnia is not just a small thing. It is a real sleeping disorder and is totally treatable. The above given methods are helpful in preventing insomnia. It’s important to take professional help if you are dealing with chronic insomnia, or if the above mentioned methods are not becoming helpful to cope with even the acute insomnia.

Effective ways to help someone being at home during lockdown

The lockdown has brought our life to a pause. Some are working from home, some are doing nothing except netflix and chill. Even that has become boring now. Staying at home has made us feel agitated. Some of us are feeling lonely and anxious, wishing it to end soon. Well, You’re not alone if you’re feeling this way. But watching frontline workers risking their lives to save others has motivated some of us to help others without going out of our home. Reaching out to help others can infact prosper our own mental health. Helping others in such crisis, also helps us to a great extent. We feel more positive and happy when we help others. It helps in reducing stress.
So, now the big question arises – how can we do that when we’re stuck at home? We can’t do something as big as medical personnel, but even our small acts can have a great Impact on others. Simply reaching out to people can make a big difference.

“what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That’s all any of us can do. That’s what we’re here for.” – Shauna Niequist

Many people are facing negative consequences on their mental health during pandemic. Help them by talking to them and giving them all the support they need. You may know many people in your social circle, who are facing loneliness or anxiety. Call them and ask how they are doing. Give others your time. This will help both of you to cope up with the lockdown. Even such little things can put a smile on other’s face.
Help someone with their problems. Use your knowledge and experience to help other.

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” – Steve Maraboli

Sometimes people just want someone to listen to them understand them. Many people are going through stressful situations in their life especially during the time of corona virus pandemic. Give them your support, advice, solution or whatever they are in need of. You can do this through various online sites or apps. One of the apps is WeHeal.

WeHeal is an Android app which aims to help people heal. The services provided by the app justifies the name. This app allows people to anonymously share their problems through open letters. The healers will reply to these open letters. People here can confess something or can talk if they need emotional support. They can also ask help if they need to deal with loneliness, helplessness, which are becoming common during the outbreak. People can also discuss problems relating to issues like studies, career, relationships, love, etc. People who are burdened by problems and need someone to listen and care, and make them feel light and happy, can take help from this app. The healers on the WeHeal app (who are the users) provide solutions to their problems. People can have one to one personal chats with the healers where they can talk about your problems with them. You can become that healer who will be helping these people with your support, understanding and experience. People can be helped as sometimes they just want someone to motivate them and make them feel appreciated and loved. It becomes easier to deal with problems when people have someone who understands them. You can be that someone. You can also write encouraging short stories and quotes.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or what you have accomplished, it’s about people you have lifted up, who you have made better. It’s about what you have given back.” – Denzel Washington

You can donate food in food Banks. You can take permission on government sites to do the good deed. The government and many other organisations are also giving opportunities to help others while sitting at home.

People are feeling helpless during the time of lockdown, and this gives us all the opportunity to help them. Helping others may not make any difference in the world, but it may make a difference in that person’s life.

Suicidal thoughts during depression

Depression is a mental health disorder with severe consequences if not treated. It is caused by biological, psychological and social factors. It can affect a person’s ability to work, play, and enjoy a normal life. Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. There comes a point during depression when a person feels hopeless about future and that they will never find happiness again. He/she may feel that life is not worth living. They are experiencing unbearable emotional pain and may feel like a burden on everyone. They feel trapped and at that time suicide seems as the only option to escape.

WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE

People who are planning to commit suicide show some warning signs before executing it.

Talking about death and suicide all the time.
Symptoms of depression are getting worse (feel more sad, loss of interest, sleeping and trouble eating)
Reckless activities and life risking behaviour
Talking about hopelessness in worthlessness
Calling or visiting loved ones as if saying the last goodbye.
Looking for ways to kill themselves
Extreme mood swings
Increased consumption of alcohol or drugs
Acting anxious and agitated
Withdrawing and isolating themselves from left ones
Showing extreme anger, irritability and rage
Making a plan or gathering material for suicide (pills, weapons, rope, poison etc)
Feeling that friends and family would be better off without them
Feeling extreme guilt and shame

If you’re having suicidal thoughts, just remember there are ways to deal with them and believe that the way you’re feeling right now, will not last for long.

FEW WAYS TO REDUCE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

Talk to someone about it : a suicide helpline, or get profesional help. You can also talk to someone on an app called WeHeal. It is an Android app which has a motive to help people heal. You can share your feelings anonymously in open letters aur personally talk to the healers of the app. You will be kept anonymous. The healers will reply to your open letters and provide you with non-judgemental answers. They will be supportive, understanding and caring. no one can take screenshot your screen record your chat. You can share every kind of problem on WeHeal app, whether you’re feeling helpless, hopeless and are not able to do anything about these suicidal thoughts or any other issues relating to studies, careers, relationships, Heartbreak etc. Talking to someone help you know that you’re not alone and there are people who will help you fight this.

Write it down : write down the feelings which are causing you to think of suicide and then write the things which may preventive from doing such thing.
Try meditation and deep breathing : meditation and deep breathing helps you calm down I and relax. The WeHeal app also provides meditation sessions along with happiness quiz and mini game to increase your patience.
Distract your mind : do activities that would divert your mind from suicidal thoughts. Go out with family or friends, or watch movie or listen to songs that you love.
Go out for a walk or a run. Do some physical activity (sports, exercise, yoga or anything else)
Don’t do anything that makes your mood worse
Read something encouraging : try to read something that gives you motivation. You can also find inspiring short stories and quotes on the WeHeal app.
Avoid being alone : spend as much time as you can with people whom you love. Don’t stay near toxic people who criticize or judge you.
Avoid alcohol, drugs or smoking : these things increase the risk of suicide.

Suicide may seem as the only option to escape the misery, but it is not. It’s really important to share what you’re feeling. It will release most of the stress and pressure that has been building up inside you. You may feel that this pain and unhappiness will never end, but it is important to remember that this will end soon. Depression makes us feel this way. Don’t let it rule your mind. It can be treated and solutions are found, seek help from your mental health counselor who is treating you for depression. Don’t lose hope, you will get through this.

Signs of depression

Depression is one of the most common but serious mental illness. Approx 264 million people are affected by depression worldwide. But still most of the cases of depression and not reported. This is mainly because of the stigma attached with mental health illness or that the people are not able to detect it, since they are not aware of the warning signs. People usually shrug the signs of depression, thinking that it’s temporary, and are just the effect of current circumstances or stressful situations. The difference between feeling low and the signs of depression is the intensity of it and how much persistent they are. We usually feel low when we are faced with stressful circumstances. But, when these feelings intensify, accompanied with at least 5 other symptoms of depression, and remain for two consecutive weeks or more, then it’s time to consult a mental health professional.

WARNING SIGNS OF DEPRESSION:

Feeling helpless and hopeless : feeling helpless and deprived of hope up and thinking that nothing good will happen now is one of the most common symptom of depression.
Self loathing : criticizing yourself accompanied with feelings of guilt, worthlessness, disappointment,self hate and sadness. You feel miserable all the time.
Losing interest in things you used to love : you’re not able to find joy in anything, even in the things you earlier enjoyed (any hobby, sports or even sexual activities). For instance, you loved going out with friends or playing basketball or any other hobby but now you don’t feel like doing it.
Tiredness or fatigue : you feel tired and drained all the time, like someone sucked the energy out of you. Even getting out of bed seems impossible.
Persistent sleep difficulty : excessive sleeping or sleeplessness or insomnia can be a symptom of depression (not if it’s for a day or two). Any such change in sleeping habits must be attended to.
Mood swings and uncontrollable emotions : it takes less than a second for you to change from one emotion to another. One time you are angry and then a second later you are sad or are crying, and you have no control over it.
Changes in appetite and weight : either the appetite has increased and a person starts overeating, which results in increased weight, or some may not feel hungry at all resulting in dramatic weight loss.
Trouble in concentrating : not able to focus on anything, difficulty in making decisions and not able to remember little things. Even watching TV can be difficult for them since they can’t concentrate or remember details.
Irritability, restlessness and feeling anxious : some of the people with depression may experience anger, irritation, restlessness and frustration instead of sadness or hopelessness.
Withdrawing from family and friends : slowly withdrawing themselves from family and friends may be a sign of depression.
Suicidal thoughts : talking or thinking a lot about death and suicide, or have attempted to commit suicide. Self harming behaviour should not be ignored.
Unexplained physical pain : since our mind and body are connected, we are likely to feel physical pain when struggling with mental illness. Frequent backaches, headaches, stomach pain and muscle pain without any reason may be a sign of depression.

Careless and life risking behaviour : substance abuse and other dangerous activities that may harm life.
Pessimist thoughts : viewing every event and future negatively may be one of the signs of depression.

Symptoms of depression can vary with gender and age.

Men mostly complain about tiredness and loss of interest. They are more likely to experience irritation, frustration, agitation, anger, instead of hopelessness. They are most likely to adapt to substance abuse and reckless behaviour.

Women mostly experience guilt, excessive sleeping and overeating.

Older adults focus more on physical pain than emotional pain.

Teens on the other hand mostly experience irritability, anger, agitation instead of sadness. They too experience unexplained physical pain.

Thoughts like “I am a failure”, “everything’s my fault”, “I am worthless”, “nothing will never be fine again”, “people would be better off without me” etc conquer the mind of the person with depression. Depression interferes with the person’s ability to eat, sleep, work, play and enjoy life. Depression is caused by biological (brain chemicals imbalance, abnormal activity in parts of brain, nutritional deficiencies or shrinking of brain cells), psychological and social factors, such as, past trauma or abuse, loneliness, lifestyle changes, stressful life experiences, low self esteem and substance abuse. It can also result from combination of these three factors.

COPING WITH DEPRESSION

Talk to others and share your feelings : one can feel really lonely and hopeless. Talking to others help. Spend time with people who love you and care about you. Share your feelings with someone you trust. Talk to someone who you think will understand and will not judge. If you don’t have someone are you feel like you will burden them, the you can talk to someone on an app like WeHeal. It is an Android app which aims to heal other people. You can share your feelings anonymously through open letters. The healers who are the users of the app will reply to them. You can even talk personally to the healer if you don’t want to discuss them openly. You will be kept anonymous and no one can even take a screenshot a screen record. You can confess anything or discuss any situation on this app, whether it’s about feelings of loneliness, hopelessness other issues relating to studies, careers, relationships, Heartbreak etc. The WeHeal app also provides motivational and encouraging short stories and quotes to instill inspiration.
Physical activities : exercising, running, walking or doing any other physical activity releases endorphins in your body which boosts your mood. Force yourself to get up even when it doesn’t feel like.
Eat a healthy diet : cut down sugar and refined carbs in your diet. Increase the intake of zinc and Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet as the lift up mood. Avoid alcohol, drugs or smoking.
Practice meditation, yoga and breathing techniques : please help you calm down and relax. You can practice meditation with the help of WeHeal app. It has three inbuilt modes, which provide meditation commentary, happiness quiz and a game to improve patience.

Try to convert your negative thoughts into positive : whenever you are having negative thoughts which destroy your self esteem, exchange them with a positive one.

Depression causes major changes in a person’s emotions and behaviours and has a damaging effect on their life. But depression is treatable. One should not be ashamed to ask for help. Half of the people don’t take help for depression because of the stigmas attached to the mental illness. This should be stopped soon as it can damage someone’s life. WeHeal app has taken an amazing step to normalise it and give a platform to people to talk about their problems.

Dealing with rejection

Rejection is the most common emotional hurt we face in our lives. Whether small (someone left a text on read, or did not invite us to their party) or large (rejection by parents or friends), it always hurts. Rejection is not accepting someone or something and deliberately pushing it away.

We all belong in a world where every single individual has a different personality and ideology. We desire to be with people who can agree with our thoughts and accepts us regardless of our flaws. We crave for acceptance and when someone rejects us, it ignites negative feelings of shame, sadness and grief. Rejection hurts our self esteem. We start finding faults in ourselves, blame ourselves. It’s can have adverse effect on the idea of self worth and confidence. All of us are members of a family, class and other groups with which we interact or play. As social beings we all have a need to belong to a social group for security, status, self-esteem, satisfaction of our psychological and social needs and goal achievement. When we are not accepted in these, we feel undeserving, unloved and unworthy. Rejection makes some of us feel like we are not wanted or valued. The rejection does make us feel bad, but the little monster inside our mind makes it worse. that little monster always tells us that we are not enough, and that no one will ever accept or love us. Never, I repeat, never Pay Attention To This Monster.

A 2003 study demonstrates that our brain responds to the emotional pain of rejection in a way that is similar to physical pain as the same brain areas activate both of them. This is why we feel an intense pain when we are rejected.

There are many types of rejection, but the most common are parental rejection, romantic rejection and social rejection. You can see a lot of cases of parental rejection, whether it is abandonment, neglect or hostility and aggression towards a child. A child can even feel rejected if both the parents are working and are not able to give time and attention to him/her. It is one of the most damaging rejection as it has long lasting effects. Parental rejection can destroy the self esteem of a child and can cause many mental health problems.

Social rejection happens when an individual is ignored and neglected by social groups (school, neighbourhood, college, workplace). Bullying, peer group rejection and exclusion are mostly seen in schools and colleges. Being fired or not getting the higher position that you deserved in your job also incite a feeling of rejection.

Romantic rejection is one thing that most of us face. You like someone, you ask them out but they reject you. We usually take it personally, which is wrong. Some even resort to violent and aggressive ways. Acid attacks, physical abuse, blackmailing, emotionally abusing, are some of the examples. What people need to understand is that rejection doesn’t diminish your value as a person. If we are interested in someone, it doesn’t always mean that they are interested in us and we need to accept that.

We humans have a fundamental need of security and acceptance and when it is jeopardized by rejection, we start to doubt ourselves. Rejection can cause many mental health problems, such as, anxiety, stress, eating disorders, self harming behaviour, suicidal thoughts and even depression. If a person has faced multiple devastating rejections since childhood, it can lead to fear of rejection, also called rejection sensitivity. The causes can be parental rejection, neglect, physical and verbal abuse, bullying, etc. This can sometimes force the person to isolate himself and not connect with others. It can even lead to loneliness and self harming behaviour which can further open gates to depression, borderline personality disorder and social anxiety. Rejection sensitive people experience higher degree of psychological distress when rejected. For this one may need to seek help of a councellor.

HOW TO DEAL WITH REJECTION ?

Rejection is something we all face and we need to accept it and learn to deal with it. There Are Few Ways That Could Help You :

Never take rejections personally : don’t blame yourself, blame the circumstances. Just because one person didn’t accept you, doesn’t mean other people won’t. If you think that you did something wrong, then try to make it right. Rejection teaches us to not make the same mistakes again and again.
Talk to someone : share what you are feeling with someone who understands you and loves you (parents or friends). We all need to feel wanted and loved. If you feel rejected call someone who values you and who will be happy to hear your voice. If you don’t have someone to share your feelings with, then you can take help of a app called WeHeal. WeHeal is a social app which aims at helping people to heal. We all go through such phases in life when we feel sad, rejected and stressed. WeHeal app provides your platform where you can share what ever you are feeling through open letters or personal chats. The healers or the users of the app will reply to your open letter with a solution . If you don’t want to discuss your problem openly, then you can use the personal chat feature. Even if you are having other problems like issues related to career, studies, relationship etc. or are not able to cope with any other stressful situation, you can take help of this app.
Surround yourself with supportive people or even animals : spend time with people who love you and make you feel good. It makes you realise that you still have people and things that accept you and love you. Pets help you ease the negative feelings of rejection.
Convert the negative thoughts into positive affirmations : instead of saying that you are worthless or unloved, say that you are loved and one person or an incident can not define you.
Indulge in physical activity : Go for a walk or run, or do exercise. It releases endorphin – the feel good hormone.
Meditate your stress away : meditation helps you to calm down and cope with stress. The WeHeal app provides you with meditation sessions. There are three inbuilt modes in the app which provide you with meditation sessions, happiness quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level.

Do something that makes you happy : do things that you enjoy and which makes you feel relaxed. You can even watch series or movie you love.
Help others : change your negative feelings into positive actions. Volunteer to help others. With WeHeal app you can help others too. You can become a healer on the app. You can provide your support and care to others in need, by understanding their problems and suggesting them solutions with the help of your experience. You can also write short inspirational stories, quotes which may encourage others.

Rejection hurts but it doesn’t mean that you’ll allow it to hold you back and criticize yourself. Don’t let it damage your self-esteem. Use rejection to improve yourself.

Helping others without spending money

“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” – Ronald Reagan

One of the best feelings you can get in life is when you help others. Seeing a smile on their face is much more precious than anything else. It not only does good to others but, is also beneficial for you. You feel good when you help others, and others feel good because they are getting help. It is a Win-Win situation. Doing good for others gives joy, happiness and satisfaction, which helps in reducing stress and improves emotional health. It has a positive affect on our mental health.

We all have the power to make a difference. Even small act can have a big impact on others and believe me money is not the obstruction if you want to help. We don’t always need money to help others. Kindness and generosity is more valuable than money and helping others is priceless.
The size or amount of help doesn’t matter, if your intention is good. Helping others makes us feel like our life has some purpose and meaning. It motivates us to keep moving. It gives us a perspective. And the best of all, it gives us happiness satisfaction. Even money cannot buy that feeling of satisfaction and happiness.

There are many ways to help people feel you don’t need to spend money, such as :

Volunteering at old age homes : Spend some time with them. Chat, play and have fun with them. They don’t need your money but they can do with a little visit, and your time, love, care or even a hug .
Help underprivileged children : spend time with them, tutor them and teach them good habits and hygienic lifestyle. If you can’t do this on weekdays, then spend a few hours on weekend. If you can’t give them money then give them your time. It is much more valuable than money and can bring smile on someone’s face.

Donate blood : if your healthy then donate blood. One pint of blood can save at least three lives.
Help someone with their problems : your knowledge and experience might be help to others. It’s amazing how you make others life less difficult with just your advice. For this you can use apps like WeHeal.

WeHeal is an Android app which aims to heal people. The services provided by the app justifies the name. This app allows people to anonymously share their problems through open letters. People here can confess something or can talk if they need some emotional support or if they need help to deal with a heartbreak or other issues in studies, career, relationships, etc. People who are burdened by problems and need someone to listen and care, and make them feel light and happy, take help from this app. The healers on the WeHeal app (who are the users) provide solutions to their problems. People can have one to one personal chats with the healers where they can talk about your problems with them. You can be that healer who will be helping these people with your support, understanding and experience. People can be helped as sometimes they just want someone to listen to them, understand them and make them feel appreciated. Money is not always the solution. People sometimes just need support to get through the difficult situations. It becomes easier to deal with problems when people have someone who understands them. You can be that someone.

Donate your perfectly fine items : you can donate your books, clothes, toys or any other item (furniture, utensils) which is now of no use to you. Instead of throwing them away, give them to someone who can utilise them.
Do random acts of kindness : There are so many things that you can do which want cost you anything. Such as – Leave letters of encouragement on people’s cars or doors, donate your birthday gifts to an orphanage, help elderly people in grocery shops or give them your seat in any public transport (believe me, it feels amazing when you get their blessings and see a smile on their face) , do favors without asking or expecting anything in return, offer water to people during a hot summer day, call a loved one and ask about their well being, compliment and thank people around you (it will make the day and boost their confidence), feed stray dogs and keep water for other animals and birds, etc.

Encourage and inspire others : say something encouraging two people around you. It will not only motivate them, but also make them confident and happy. On the WeHeal app, you can write short inspirational stories, quotes and experiences which may encourage others, inspire them and make their day.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” – John Holmes

Volunteer at an animal shelter : if you are an animal lover, then go help the animals in need. Shelters may not have enough workers to take care of the animals. Even the animals just want to spend some play time with humans. They need and deserve your love and care. Adopt instead of buying . Help them get out of their cages.

Helping others is the secret to a happy and healthy life. It makes you feel more positive and amazing. Our words and actions have the power to motivate, encourage, lift others and make them smile. It can give them hope. Money can’t do that. So go ahead and lend your hand to others. Be kind and spread happiness.

Fighting depression caused by pressure to excel in Studies

Students face all types of pressures, challenges and situations causing stress. Successful situations may cause negative emotions such as sadness, frustration, hopelessness, etc. These emotions usually pass within a few days. If not, then it can be an indication of depression.

There are many potential causes for stress faced by students, which, if not treated timely can lead to depression.One of the main cause can be fear of failure, also known as achievement anxiety. It is not only common among the low achievers, but also the high achievers. They might have enormous pressure to succeed constantly. Pressure from parents to be the best sometimes turns out to be dangerous for children. It’s normal for every parents to want their child to excel in every field, but sometimes the pressure to perform well makes the children suffer some serious consequences. High pressure parents may constantly insist their children to keep on practicing and performing well in every competition. This much high amount of pressure and stress makes way for anxiety, depression or other serious mental health issues. Parents might pressure their children by comparing their results with other children or cousins and rebuking them for low grades. Some parents even might be abusive not just physically but also verbally. This constant pressure can lower their self esteem and make them feel like they are worthless. Pressure of upcoming exams, sleep deprivation and unmanageable workload can give a lot of stress to students. Pressure to succeed prevents students from relaxing and enjoying their student life.

Prejudice and biased behavior by teachers on the basis of grades can add to the cause of depression in students. It lowers their confidence thereby making the weaker lot hesitant in putting up questions. Not only this, some students also develop inferior complexities while also struggling to maintain their grades. Teachers biased attitude also leads to unhealthy competition among the students whereby the lot with lower grade undergoes an uninvited struggle to raise their academic standards.

SIGNS OF DEPRESSION IN STUDENTS :

Depression altogether affects the thoughts, actions and behaviour a person.

Constant anxiety
Feeling hopeless and helpless
Overeating for eating too little
Suicidal thoughts
Sleeping too much or too little
Fatigue
Frequent headaches, nausea and unexplained physical pain
Feeling of sadness and guilt
Not showing up to classes

The students may start feeling that they are worthless, and that they might not amount to anything. They may feel that they are a failure and that they can’t achieve anything in life. They feel like no one understands fore care about them and their feelings. They might feel that everyone just cares about their academic results.Depression is not just caused by chemical imbalance in brain or other biological factors, but psychological and social factors also plays a huge role. Facing tons of pressure of studies, biasness on the basis of marks and lack of social and emotional support can contribute largely to depression.How To Overcome :

Talk to someone : it’s important to share your feeling with people you trust or you think might understand. If the parents are abusive in anyway or due to any other problem you are not able to share your feelings with them, then it’s alright to seek help from a school/College councellor. There is nothing wrong in asking for help. In fact it is a courageous thing. If you just want to talk and you don’t have anyone then you can even take help from an app called WeHeal.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.weheal.weheal

It isn’t social app which is available on Android. Through this app people can share their current feelings and concerns anonymously either in a personal chat or through open letters. 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. The healers will listen to you, understand you, and give you possible solutions to your problems. If you just want to be heard and understood, then this app might be helpful. Privacy is respected in this app, since you will be kept anonymous. The app also prevents everyone from taking screenshot or screen recording. Anonymous chat feature will help you to talk personally about your situation.There are also three inbuilt features 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.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.

Stay away from toxic people : stay away from people who make you feel unworthy. Spend time with people who encourage you and care for you.
Get involved in activities you enjoy used to enjoy : do things that make you or used to make you happy, even though it seems impossible. Opt for a new hobby aur watch any funny series or comedy movie.
Healthy habits and self care : Eat balanced diet, take at least 8 hours of sleep, do any physical activity like exercise, walking, yoga, running or join any sports. These activities release feel-good hormones called in endorphins, which lifts one’s mood.
Take some time out : make friends and don’t shut yourself out. Spend some time with them. Force yourself to go out with them relax and try to have fun.

Whether its parents wanting their children to excel or students desire to be the best, both have dire consequences. If you’re dealing with this, you can share their problems, talk to the healers and feel light, understood and happy, through the WeHeal app.

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.