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.

Feeling sad? Here are 5 things you can do

No matter how hard we try, it’s impossible to control emotions, and sadness is one of them. There can be many reasons to feel sad,

Loss of someone or something we loved
Fight with someone close
Problems at home, workplace, school etc
When someone we love is sad
When things don’t work as per our expectations
Illness
Missing someone, etc.

There are many more causes, different for everyone.
Unhappy events and stressful situations makes us feel this way. As humans, it is normal for us to feel sad sometimes. It is a normal emotion, just like happiness, anger,fear. These feelings are never permanent, unlike long term sadness which is a symptom of depression.

5 THINGS WE CAN DO :

Go out for a walk or run : walking or running help us to shed out negativity. You can do other physical activities too, like exercise, or play any sports you like, or go to a gym, if you enjoy that. Physical activities helps body to release endorphins. Endorphins are the feel-good hormones. They help us lift our mood. Try to do these things in a natural environment.
Cry it out or write it down: it’s OK to cry and in fact it only helps us. Crying has a soothing effect and helps us to calm ourself . It also releases oxytocin and endorphins, which makes us feel good and helps reduce pain. You can even write what you are feeling. Writing helps a lot. Write everything you are feeling. You will feel a load off yourself.
Share your feelings with someone : talk to someone you trust, who will comfort you and listen to you instead of judging you. Talking to someone is one of the best things you can do. It helps you to release what you have bottled up. If you don’t have anyone to talk about it or you fear that they will judge you, then you can talk on any app. I know an app that can help you with this purpose. It is the WeHeal app. It’s available on Android. This app helps you discuss your feelings anonymously either openly through open letters or by talking personally to the healers of the app. The healers are the users of the app reply to your open letters with probable solutions. They listen to your problems, understand them and help you go through it. You can discuss anything on this app, whether its about issues like heartbreak, studies, career, relationships, love or any other problem, or even confessing anything. The app ensures the safety of the users as no one can take screenshot or screen record your chat. Talking to someone helps you to release pent up emotions and make you feel better.

Meditation and breathing exercise : while you’re reading this, give it a pause and take a long deep breath. Meditation and deep breathing helps your mind and body to release stress and other negative emotions like sadness. It helps to calm down and relax. The WeHeal app also provides meditation sessions to help you relax. It also has happiness quiz to detect mood and a mini game to improve patience.
Do do something that makes you happy : do something that you love, maybe any hobby, or watch or listen to anything you love. I personally watch my all-time favourite friends and the office or some cheesy rom-com. Treat yourself with love and care. Dress up and hang out with friends or family if you love that. Even give them a hug. Hugging someone health release oxytocin which is associated with happiness and helps release stress. If you don’t have anyone to hug someone, then give a tight hug to yourself. It works and it will make you feel happy. Even playing with animals help making you happy. Volunteering helping others also makes us happy. You can even help people to heal on WeHeal app, by becoming a healer and helping others through their problems with your support, understanding and experience.

Whatever the reason maybe, just remember that things will get better. Healing takes time sometimes. It is never impossible to find happiness amidst of bad times. Focus on positive things and remember the good times. Be grateful for that. When we appreciate the good things, the sad ness becomes smaller. It’s OK to experience sadness to teach us the value of happiness. Remember there is no Joy without sadness.

Things to help you cope with depression apart from councelling

Depression makes one feel hopeless, like life will never be the same again. But it’s not true. Depression is totally treatable. But for that one doesn’t need to be ashamed in seeking help. It’s not your fault that you have been facing all this. It was not your choice, so why should you be ashamed. People who don’t have knowledge about mental health, say all type of things and judge others. What they say or think is their problem, that shouldn’t stop anyone from taking help. Depression has symptoms like:

Hopelessness and helplessness
Excessive guilt and sadness
Anger or frustration
Trouble sleeping (either too much or too little)
Changes in appetite (overwriting or not eating anything)
Loss of interest in activities that you used to enjoy
Changes in body weight
Tiredness and fatigue
Trouble concentrating
Inability to think clearly
Agitation, restlessness and irritability
greatly slowed behaviour
Increased mood swings
Feelings of worthlessness
Suicidal thoughts

Your symptoms can become worse if you don’t take timely help. Time does not have the power to heal depression. Getting treated can make things better.

The treatment for depression usually includes therapy a combination of therapy and medication. Along with therapy, there are some other things that one can opt for. These will not cure your Depression but will help you recover faster and make it easier for you to manage and cope with your symptoms. These are:

Talk to someone trusted : there is nothing wrong in sharing what you feel and asking for help. You need to believe that you are not a burden on someone who loves you and care for you. All the want is your well being. It’s really important to communicate your feelings with others. Sometimes we fear that people will judge us for feeling how we feel. Don’t talk to such people who react negatively, ok talk to someone on an app called WeHeal. It is a social app with an intention to help people heal. Anyone can share anything on this app. You can confess or share whatever you are feeling through open letters. You can discuss your problems here with the healers of this app. The healers are the users of this app. They will reply to your open letters with solutions and ways to cope with your problems. You can even have one to one chat with them if you don’t want to discuss your situation and your feelings openly. No one can take screenshot or screen record your chat. It really helps to talk to someone who understands us and talks to us without judging us.

Exercising : exercises proves to be one of the best way to cope with depression. It’s hard to have energy to even get out of bed during depression, but once you find the motivation, the effects will be amazing. Even a half an hour walk or a run does wonders. The reason behind this is that exercising makes our body release endorphins which are the feel-good hormones. They reduce the perception of pain and trigger positive feelings. The WeHeal app has inspirational quotes and short stories and some real life experiences which may encourage and motivate you.

A healthy diet : eat a balanced diet and never skip meal. Eat food rich in Omega 3 fatty acid, proteins, and healthy fats.
Stay away from toxic people : it’s always better to stay away from negative and toxic people who do nothing but judge you. Spend time with family and friends who understand, motivate and support you.
Avoid alcohol and drugs
Meditation : meditation helps you settle your mind which lifts mood. It helps to make your mind calm and relax your body. The WeHeal app also has guided meditation sessions. The app also includes a happiness quiz and a mini game to improve patience level.

It is really important to understand that depression is not a weakness. It is an illness and just like other physical illnesses it can be treated. People think that it is easy to snap out of depression, and if they are unable to do that, they are considered weak. This is because depression is stigmatized. It’s really important to break the stigmas attached with depression and other mental health disorders. We can do it by talking about it openly and educating others about it. The WeHeal app is helping people who are not able to seek help because of these stigmas and encouraging them to fight it.

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.

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.

Why do we feel lonely ?

We are all surrounded by so many living beings, and still sometimes we feel lonely. It is a normal emotion experienced by each one of us. So if you think you are alone in feeling lonely, you are wrong.

“Many people need desperately to receive this message: ‘I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people don’t care about them. You are not alone.’” — Kurt Vonnegut

We are social beings, and it is okay for us to feel lonely when we aren’t among other social beings. But, why do we feel lonely when we are surrounded by our friends and family ? It is mainly when you feel no connection with the people you are spending time. You lack meaning in the relationship with them and you mostly feel that they don’t care about you. It is really important to have strong emotional connection with the people you are surrounded with. If you don’t have that then you are likely to feel lonely. It is the quality of social relationship that matters, not the quantity. Even if a person has a lot many friends, he might feel lonely if he doesn’t connect with anyone. Even two or three close friends are enough for a person to feel special and loved. Studies say that on an average 75% of people feel lonely at some point in our lives.

The feeling of abandonment usually attacks human when they begin to cut off themselves from the species of their own circle.

“People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.” — Joseph F. Newton Men

But is this the only reason? No, it is not. There could be many other reasons , such as,

Betrayal from a friend could be the reason which eliminates the feeling of comradeship.
The feeling can also arise when you lose someone close and significant.
When you move to a new city, or shift to a new locality, you are likely to feel lonely.
It can also be when you don’t have anyone close whom you can trust and talk to.
It may also be when we are not feeling connected in a meaningful way to other people. This makes us feel like we are on our own.
Apart from this, inferiority complexes also urges people to restrain themselves from their social circle. People who have low confidence consider that they are worthless and they don’t deserve to be with other people. It is dangerous and can lead to isolation which can open way two serious mental health problems.

Even celebrities who are so loved and appreciated by everyone suffer from loneliness. Even though they are constantly surrounded by people who are looking to appease them and do anything for them, the feeling of loneliness couldn’t spare them. Marilyn Monroe and Madhubala, the ethereal beauties, are acclaimed to be living a life of void and isolation despite having a great fan following.

Loneliness has a potential to harm mental health to a great extent. Though the feeling is usually temporary, but if it remains for a week or so, it can develop into depression, anxiety, and can crumble people’s self esteem. Loneliness can hit you at anytime. Person dealing with loneliness may feel empty and meaningless. They may feel like no one is there for them, anyone who can understand, help or support them. They feel like they have no one to tell how they are feeling.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO OVERCOME THIS FEELING ? HOW CAN WE COPE WITH LONELINESS ?

Talk to someone about how you feel : expressing the feeling is the beginning of releasing it. There is no shame in talking about how you feel. If you don’t have anyone talk about it then take help of some apps. There is one app called WeHeal. It is an amazing social app which is available on Android. The app provides a platform where people can share and express what they are feeling, talk about it and ask for help. Whether it’s about your feeling of loneliness or any problem about issues like studies, careers, relationships, or heartbreak, you can talk about it there. You can write open letters on the app, to which the healers will reply and provide you with ways to get through it. You can even talk personally to the healers. No one can take any screenshots or even screen record, which makes it safe to share whatever that has been going on in your mind. The healers are the users of the app who will understand you, support you and will not judge you.

Hangout with like-minded people : stay with people who share similar interests and belief as you or the one’s who accepts you the way you are and make you feel welcomed, loved and cared for. Stop Hangout with people you don’t feel good with. You can feel lonely if you hang out with people you don’t feel connected to.
Go out and socialize at least once a week : force yourself to get out and meet people and try to make friends.
Connect with people and take care of yourself (love and believe in yourself)

“Only through our connectedness to others can we really know and enhance the self. And only through working on the self can we begin to enhance our connectedness.” — Harriet Goldhor Lerner
Volunteer for help someone in need : going out and helping others not only makes you happy but also connects you with others and make you feel less lonely. You can also go to any old age home and give the your time. They might be feeling lonely and your presence might cheer them up. You can also help people online on the the WeHeal app. You can become a healer on WeHeal. You can provide your support and care to others in need, my 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.

Spend some time with animals : animals reduce stress, anxiety and loneliness. The make us feel loved and cared for. Adopt one. If you are not ready for the responsibility of a pet, then you can volunteer at animal Shelters and spend time with them. They too feel lonely and they too need your love.
Write it down : writing down what you feel helps you to process your emotions and get a clear idea of your situation and thoughts. You feel lighter when you write it down or do a self-talk.
Physical activity : go for a run or a walk or do some exercise. When you do a physical activity, it releases endorphins which are feel good emotions.
Do something creative or something which is fun for you : do something which you think you will enjoy and feel good, whether it’s painting, gardening, arts and craft, or anything that you love.
Give yourself a reminder that it’s OK to feel lonely : life is always not fun and amazing. If these two three days were not good, doesn’t mean your whole life will remain like this. Just remember that everyday has a new beginning and it’s you who can change it.
Join a club : explore hobbies with others. Attend classes for exercise, yoga, dancing or anything you want to do.
Meditate : calm your body and meditate your worries away. You can get meditation session on the WeHeal app. 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.

I would love to share a bonus tip that I read somewhere – put your hand over your heart when you are haunted by the feelings of loneliness, as sometimes lack of physical touch can be the reason of loneliness. It makes us feel safe and secure and helps us come down. Dr. Kristin Neff, in her book “Self-Compassion : The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself“, enumerates how our bodies register the care we give ourselves in a similar way that it registers the care we get from others through Physical touch. It can be anything, hold your face, or give tight hug to yourself or whatever that gives you comfort. Believe me, it works wonders.

It is not impossible to fight loneliness. We just need a bit of motivation, abundant hope and a fist full of self love.

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.

Dealing with Heartbreak

“The heart will break, but broken live on.” – Lord Byron

Heartbreak is something terrible and unfortunately we all experience it at some times in our life. The feeling of heartbreak usually accompanies us when we lose someone or something we loved, may it be a romantic relationship, friendship, a family member, job or a pet. Whatever the reason maybe, the pain is real and we all want to avoid it. For me personally, I was heartbroken when my dogs were taken away from me. I was really close to them. The first 2 weeks were terrible for me. Though I still can’t get over the fact that they are gone, it was much more difficult when it happened. I couldn’t sleep or eat properly and I just used to cry everytime remembering and seeing everything related to them.

Heartbreak can cause a lot of stress, which can affect us both emotionally and physically. It may take days, weeks, months or even years to recover from it.Heartbreak can even trigger psychological shock, also called emotional shock and acute stress reaction. Emotional shock is when you experience a rush of strong emotions and the corresponding physical reaction in response to a stressful event like heartbreak. Emotional shock doesn’t just cause anxiety and fear but also physical reactions like sleeplessness, racing heart, headache, upset stomach, nausea, shortness of breath, restlessness and lack of energy. It causes both mental and physical exhaustion.

Heartbreak can have serious effects which may immensely affect our daily life. Heartbreak can even lead to mental health disorders like anxiety, chronic stress, depression or even post traumatic stress disorders. If you’re having symptoms like thinking about it all the time , blaming yourself for everything , suicidal thoughts (thinking you can’t live without them) , feeling worthless and unlovable after a breakup from a romantic relationship , avoiding loved ones (friends and family) , stopped enjoying things you used to love , sleeplessness, etc even after a long time of the heartbreaking event, then you may seek help.

DEALING WITH A HEARTBREAK

“Of course! It takes a lot of strength to mend a broken heart. Channelising energies into your work helps, but also to be able to accept situations for what they are instead of questioning them helps immensely.” – Deepika Padukone

It’s not easy to deal with a heartbreak, but it becomes less difficult when you accept it, and decide to take care of yourself, the situation and your life. The saying “time heals everything” is true, but you need motivation, self care and proper emotional support simultaneously.

Understand and accept your emotions : Do not bottle up your feelings inside and try to carry on a brave face. It’s Okay to feel sad and hurt and it is okay to cry. If we keep on avoiding these emotions, it’ll keep on giving more pain.
Social and emotional support : surround yourself with positive, understanding and supportive people. Higher the level of social support, lower the level of pain. Spend time with family and friends, who make you feel loved and worthy.
Vent out (share your emotions) : It’s important to get things off your chest. Talk to a trusted friend or a family member and tell them how you feel. Vent the anger and frustration. It’s good to pour your heart out. If you don’t have that person, then take help of some apps. WeHeal is an amazing app , which helps to anonymously share whatever we are feeling and going through. It is available on android.

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

WeHeal aims at helping 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. This app allows you to anonymously share your problems through open letters. The healers who are the users of the app will read them and reply to them. They help you see things through a different perspective and to find solutions. Since the app keeps you anonymous, it becomes easy for you to pour your heart out without the fear of being judged. If you don’t have someone to lean on or share what you’re going through, you can rely to this app. This app allows people to share anything that is troubling them, whether it is related to career, jobs, relationships, or you’re feeling demotivated and confused. 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.

Write it out : write what you’re feeling. It helps you process emotions and think clearly.
Exercise : Indulge in physical activities. Join sports or go for a walk or a run . Do exercise and yoga. They boost mood and energy.
Healthy diet : eat a healthy and balanced diet as a good diet boosts immune system and it helps in fighting stress.
Help others : doing something for others helps boost your self esteem and it also distracts you. Doing good also releases feel-good hormones, which is something you would want right now. So volunteer and find ways to help people. With WeHeal app, you can also help others by replying to their situations and help them find solutions and ways to go through it.
Don’t blame yourself : it’s not right to blame yourself for everything. Don’t attach negative qualities with yourself. Think and write positive things about yourself.

We all experience heartbreak and it’s important to know how to deal with it. One should never lose hope and belief in oneself. We cannot avoid heartbreak but we can prepare ourself to cope with it.

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.