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High-functioning depression: Symptoms, causes, and treatments

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

What is high-functioning depression?

Sudhir (name changed ) has been managing his large company for years together and didn’t believe it could happen to him when he was told by this psychologist ,” you have been suffering from high functioning depression”. “ But how is this possible ,I have been managing all my affairs well and attending to all my routine .However the family could notice him being bored quite quickly and Sudhir has of late been getting tired often ,showing signs of irritation and impatience .

Often it is believed that a high functioning individual can never be depressed or even tired because he seems to always be active ,agile and his metabolism could be working at its best .But that may not be the case always .

High-functioning people always seem to be on the drive manning not only their work but also of others work too. High functioning depression is a term used to describe people who experience symptoms of depression  while largely maintaining their daily responsibilities and outward appearance. Such high functioning individuals often are able to maintain high flying careers, professional relationships, and social lives, making it difficult even for themselves to recognize their own depressed state of mind .It could generally be taken as tiredness and distraction and they shrug it away ,when told that they could have a depression.

Is high -functioning depression a mental illness or an emotional disorder ?

The term high-functioning depression has not been officially recognised anywhere till now neither in ICD 10 or even in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). It is thus obviously not diagnosed by your psychiatrist or a psychologist.

It’s possible for a person to meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) or persistent depressive disorder (PDD) while hiding many of the signs and symptoms by their being busy active and over the situation.When this is the case, they may be informally described as having high-functioning depression.

Persistent Depressive disorder is a recognised mental health condition characterized by long-term, chronic bouts of depression.

High-functioning depression and PDD share similarities, but they’re not the same. The term “high-functioning depression” describes someone who mostly keeps up appearances ,despite depressive symptoms.

If you think you or a loved one may be experiencing any form of depression and feel that because of your high functioning you are not able to decide what it is , it’s important to seek professional help. A professional psychologist or a psychiatrist can provide a proper diagnosis and recommend appropriate treatment options.

Symptoms of high functioning depression

Because it’s not an official diagnosis, high-functioning depression doesn’t have distinct symptoms. Warning signs of high-functioning depression, and of depressive disorders generally, can include:

  • Persistent feelings of aloofness ,sadness  or emptiness
  • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions with clarity
  • Periodic low self esteem and self-doubts
  • Persistent fatigue or regular low energy
  • Erratic or altered sleep patterns (not able to sleep or oversleeping)
  • Change in eating habits .Appetite changes (increased or decreased)
  • Irritation or restlessness
  • Loss of interest in normally previous enjoyed activities
  • Feelings of giving up ,hopelessness or pessimism
  • Physical symptoms like headaches or digestive issues
  • Thoughts of self harm ,death or suicide .

The situation can be different for different people.Depression can look different for everyone, and you don’t need to hit a bout of actual sickness or depression. Now is the good time for you to seek help.

People with high-functioning depression may try to hide their symptoms from others, often out of fear of being judged or a feeling of embarrassment.Seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness. Even if coping with high-functioning depression seems possible on your own, you don’t need to manage without help. Treatment can help alleviate symptoms, improve quality of life, and prevent the condition from worsening over time.A person attempting to hide symptoms of depression may aggravate the problem hence let’s not delay further but talk now .

You can reach out to us

Call 7224896739 or email

mansikpramarsh@gmail.com

http://www.mansikpramarsh.com.

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Panic Attack :How to identify one and calm down during a panic attack

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

When Rashi had her first panic attack she was appearing for school board exams .She didn’t know she was having one till her throat felt dry ,her hands started trembling and all of a sudden she felt she was going to faint .That made her cry out loud for help .She wanted to immediately get out of the examination hall.

However a timely intervention by the people around helped her recover faster as she was given the first aid support in time.

Panic attacks do not come with a warning and they become too scary to those who suffer one all of sudden and if a timely help is not available the same can turn a little damaging too .

Rashi did have some stress of her ensuing examination but she had also been suffering from fever for a few days and had not yet fully recovered . She had been feeling weak, a bit tired and sleepy . In this kind of stressful situation she had suddenly developed an anxiety   and lost control of mind .Her breathing seemed to have become very shallow,rapid and she had hyperventilated .

The feeling passed after little first aid support and within a few minutes she felt better although still dazed .No one knew that she had experienced her first panic attack that day, until it happened again when she was in a crowded shopping mall .

How to know if it is a panic attack

It can happen to anyone and can take place in any situation.We discuss hereunder the early signs and symptoms indicating about panic attack :

Usually it begins with a dizziness of the head and the person feels a little disoriented to the environment around .The other symptoms not necessary all of them together can be :

  • Mild pounding of heart in the middle of chest and feeling of fast heart beats
  • Shortness of breathing and feeling of suffocation
  • Breathless and major discomfort breathing even though the environment is not claustrophobic
  • Feeling a sense of numbness in the arms or legs or both
  • Chest pain
  • Hot flashes or cold sweat
  • Nausea
  • Trembling and shaking of body parts

Anxiety attack vs. panic attack

An anxiety doesn’t come all of a sudden but it builds up over time ruminating or apprehending some of the anticipated events and it remains there even when the event may not take place .Thus anxiety is triggering of the apprehension but it stays as a constant feeling disrupting the normal functioning .

A panic attack on the other hand has more debilitating effect , comes out all of a sudden and much more intense episode of fear ,anxiety and a feeling of oncoming loss of consciousness and breathing difficulty takes over .

Anxiety and panic attacks even though have similar symptoms, but panic can make one feel like one is losing control of one’s awareness,orientation .The person feels that brain and body are not coordinating . This can happen repeatedly leaving one helpless and worrying of being vulnerable all the time .Resultantly one may stop stepping out of home alone .

Some of the ways to calm down during a panic attack

Rashi was lucky when her first panic attack lasted only a few minutes and went away after help from the people around but the second time she wasn’t because it occurred in a shopping mall and help took a little longer .

Panic attacks tend to peak within a few minutes and go away also sooner but for some occasions these attacks can last longer and the person becomes restless with fear of something happening to him or her and gets panicky .

How do we control when a panic attack seems to be occurring or seems imminent:

Perceptive and Meditative Breathing;

Deep breathing has often been recommended as the compulsory activity to do when stressed .

In anxiety and panic perceptive breathing can really do magic on your mood.Lets understand how :

  1. Close your eyes softly
  2. Keep your body and spine supple and stress free
  3. Now focus on the lower end (tail end ) of your spine and breathe from the nose very slowly .The mind must be completely involved in the breathing .
  4. Inhale slowly from the nose feeling it’s impact on the lower end of the spine .
  5. Exhale slowly from the nose taking as much time as you took inhaling
  6. Continue for five to seven minutes
  7. Soon you would realise your mind and body relaxing and the anxiety level coming to almost nil .
  8. Repeat this exercise as often as you want to .

Relax your muscles and body by kayotsarga (progressive muscle relaxation exercise )

Anxiety and panic can cause your whole body to tense up making you feel uncomfortable. You can help reduce the stiffness of muscles of the body relaxing them one muscle at a time .Focus on each muscle beginning from the toes of the feet one by one and going upwards covering all parts of body one by one .An auto suggestion like ( my toes are relaxing ,my calf muscles are relaxing cover till the top of your forehead .

Move your body:yes that’s true:

Rather than sitting or lying down in panic going out for a walk or doing brisk walk in the room itself can help you bring your stress anxiety and the impending fear to a much reduced level .

Preferably you can, go for a walk outside or do some light stretching. Take yourself out of the environment that’s causing your anxiety .It will help ease your symptoms.

If you feel a panic attack coming on in a closed environment like bus ,train or an aircraft while travelling and you can’t get up and move , try these basic breathing exercises to help ground yourself and reduce the intensity of the attack.

  • Do some deep breathes and focus on the tip of your nostrils to feel the air getting in and exhaled air coming out . Soon you will feel better with diverted focus .
  • Breathe in deeply and exhale every breathe from the fingers of your feet one by one and later through each finger and toes of your hands .You will feel an ease coming to your mind and body soon.
  • Rub the palms of your hands slowly and putting the palms on your eyes later will help .

Doing this activity with your hands can help take your mind off anxiety a calmness sets in .

Repeat positive affirmations to yourself

A positive affirmation is a phrase or a sentence you repeat to yourself over and over but if you can write it and read it aloud ,the impact is many times more and empowering .

The statement can be

“ I am a calm person I am a powerful person “

or “I am a powerful person I can handle this situation “

Or “ I am a powerful person I have the power of mind “ .

Reading and saying these affirmations out loud can help, but if you’re in a public place and don’t feel comfortable with that, just say it silently to yourself. Make sure to read or speak the words slowly in your mind.

Get help of psychologist /Counselor

In order to prevent repeated occurrences ,you must seek the help of a psychologist .You can reach out to us at

Alka Mansik Pramarsh Foundation

http://www.mansikpramarsh.com

Family Therapy India

http://www.familytherapyindia.com

Or email

mansikpramarsh@gmail.com

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Why You Dread Mondays: Signs You’re Burning Out

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, The psychology counselling services available, tagged , , , , , on May 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »

“It happens to me every Monday morning, and believe me, doctor, I have come to dread my Sunday evenings too because I look at them as harbingers of the next week’s grueling work again,” averred Rajan*.

“At the beginning of every day, I usually open my work desk disinterestedly, with an apprehensive mindset that I may not be able to survive another week in this job,” says Lily*.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

When you feel that you aren’t keeping pace with your job and procrastination becomes a habit rather than an exception, it’s time to take stock of your mental and physical health. As more and more tasks pile up, you begin with a disinterested mind. Your motivation vanishes. You start playing with the idea of going on a vacation or looking for another job. But even that doesn’t happen, as your body, mind, and brain all seem locked up in ennui.

This is exactly the time to seek help from a professional to understand whether it is simple stress or the beginning of depression. But more important is to analyse if it is a burnout situation, which can often be misunderstood as depression.

When Your Efficiency Curve Declines

The efficiency curve of humans is like any other performance curve with various stages of physical, emotional, and mental output. The curve has a rising phase, where work performance can be quite mood-elevating, bringing with it expected rewards and revenues. But soon, stagnant work performance and declining strength and output catch up with you. Your body and mind feel exhausted, and a regular sitting job in front of a laptop or computer seems very taxing. Whenever that happens, you feel quirky, irritated, or disinterested. A short break does help with rejuvenation, but repeated situations like this need to be analysed and understood.

This is where the journey of prolonged stress begins, and exhaustion or burnout creeps in without you realising why or what is happening.

How Do You Know If It’s Stress or Burnout?

There’s a difference between being stressed and being burned out. Stress happens when you’re engaged in work and sometimes get overly involved. Burnout, on the other hand, means being disengaged.

Burnout feels like you’ve checked out of your life emotionally and have nothing left to give. This severe and chronic condition goes beyond feeling overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, or fatigued. You might even experience physical effects like muscle tension, headaches, or digestive problems.

You can tell burnout from stress by noticing whether you’re avoiding work, frequently tired, and easily distracted. You also feel like a heavy load has been placed on your body and mind. People who are stressed believe things will improve once the source of stress is resolved. In burnout, nothing seems to work, and you feel like you can’t handle anything.

Signs You May Be Dealing with Burnout

Burnout occurs gradually over time. It creeps into your mental, physical, and emotional being and drains your energy completely. You sleep erratically and wake up wishing daylight had been delayed. You know you’re stuck in a vicious cycle—either of sleeplessness or oversleeping and avoidance.

Work piles up, phone calls remain unanswered, deadlines are missed. Headaches, body aches, and a general sense of listlessness and disinterest take their toll on your psyche.

When you browse the internet or seek advice, it can often be misunderstood or misdiagnosed as depression.

We advise you to get in touch with us if you need a professional assessment of your situation. Self-assessment or assumptions won’t give you an accurate diagnosis.

Our psychologist can assess, diagnose, and help you manage your burnout more effectively.

*Names and details have been changed to protect privacy. 

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Getting Control of your OCD in 4 Comprehensive (medication-free) Steps

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 10, 2024| 2 Comments »

First, let’s hear from those who have bravely faced their obsessions and compulsions and, with the help of our four-step strategic therapy, have managed to reclaim control of their lives. Doesn’t it sound surprising that individuals who suffered from OCD for years, despite being on long-term medication, have finally found relief? It may seem unbelievable to many who have struggled with OCD for years. However, this is often due to a lack of proper guidance and corrective approaches.

Let’s listen to the inspiring stories of individuals who have successfully taken control of their OCD and are now leading normal lives:

Aarti’s Journey
Aarti, 22 (name changed), doesn’t even remember when she first developed the habit of compulsively washing every piece of clothing she wore outside. Each time she returned home, whether from college or the market, she would immediately head to the washroom, change her clothes, and wash them. Initially, her parents saw this as an attempt to maintain cleanliness. However, their concern grew when they noticed her repeating this behavior throughout the day, from morning until evening.

By the time Aarti came to us, she had been on strong psychiatric medications for over six years. Despite relying on anti-anxiety and SSRI pills, her OCD persisted. It wasn’t until she began our treatment program that she experienced significant relief.

Ahmad’s Story
Ahmad, a businessman in Dubai, had achieved considerable success in his career. However, he couldn’t fully enjoy his accomplishments due to intrusive, obsessive thoughts. “An unknown anxiety grips my mind over trivial matters,” Ahmad explains. This overwhelming anxiety would only subside after he performed certain repetitive acts, which frightened his family.

Prakash’s Experience
Prakash, an architect, had built a flourishing career and enjoyed a high social status. Yet, he struggled with obsessive thoughts that began in high school. Although medications temporarily alleviated his symptoms, the obsessive thoughts returned with greater intensity whenever he stopped the medications for more than a week.

Understanding OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental and behavioral health condition characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These compulsions are performed to reduce the distress caused by obsessions, perpetuating a vicious cycle.

The cycle of OCD typically includes:

  1. Obsession: Unwanted, intrusive thoughts or impulses.
  2. Mental distress: Anxiety or fear triggered by these thoughts.
  3. Compulsion: Repetitive actions performed to alleviate the distress.
  4. Temporary relief: A short-lived sense of relief before the cycle restarts.

Common Symptoms of OCD

Obsessions

Obsessions are repetitive, intrusive thoughts that are often illogical but feel uncontrollable. These may include:

  • Concerns about safety or cleanliness.
  • Worries about relationships or social interactions.
  • Irrational fears about natural or unnatural phenomena.

Compulsions

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or rituals performed to relieve the distress caused by obsessions. Common compulsions include:

  • Excessive cleaning or handwashing.
  • Repeatedly checking locks, appliances, or emails.
  • Counting or arranging objects.
  • Hoarding or obsessive texting.

Our Treatment Approach

We have developed an effective program to help clients overcome OCD and regain control of their lives:

  1. Trans-Cranial Cerebral Spinal Stimulation
    Using self-projected inner sound therapy (Mahapran Dhwani), this technique targets affected brain areas. Patients undergo daily or alternate-day sessions of 45 minutes for 8–12 weeks, resulting in significant OCD remission.
  2. Gut and Mind Correction Therapy
    By focusing on the gut-brain axis and ventral vagus nerve stimulation, we address the emotional and mental imbalances that trigger obsessive thoughts.
  3. Kayotsarga and Chakra Meditation
    Kayotsarga exercises and chakra-focused meditation (Swas Preksha) help patients achieve emotional balance and self-regulation.
  4. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Affirmations
    Guided CBT sessions and positive affirmations empower patients to replace compulsive behaviors with healthier coping strategies.

Transforming Lives

Through a combination of advanced therapies, holistic practices, and expert guidance, our patients have achieved remarkable results. Many, including Aarti, Ahmad, and Prakash, are now living peaceful, medication-free lives, enjoying a sense of freedom they thought was unattainable.

Please let us know if we can help you with your OCD .

Write to us

mansikPramarsh@gmail.com

http://www.mansikpramarsh.com

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When Job Stress Strikes: Caring for Emotional, Mental, and Family Health

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , on July 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Rita, 32, has been negative and irritated for over a month. Her husband’s job is uncertain, and her bosses discuss similar issues at work.

David, 49, hasn’t dealt well with being denied a promotion. He feels his education, skills, and years of performance have been wasted. He fears premature retirement despite having more to offer.

Ashvani, 45, works globally but hasn’t had a project in a while, causing anxiety about his job. His family notices his stress, boredom, and anxiety.

Names are changed, but their situations are real. Careers seem to be falling apart suddenly. Why is their life in parentheses now?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The dreaded pink slip is making a comeback in IT and other industries after a decade of growth. Layoffs at companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are causing anxiety and stress among employees. A job isn’t just a source of income; it’s a career, personal identity, and self-fulfillment. When threatened, it leads to negativity, self-criticism, and alienation.

From adolescence, we’re pushed to pursue careers that may not exist yet. We spend the first quarter of our lives getting educated and skilled for a job, and then our entire lives working. This affects our overall well-being. Realizing your job and career, the essence of your life, is being taken away can cause sleeplessness, stress, and unhappiness.

The threatening environment in the current job can negatively impact all aspects of life. It’s a wake-up call to reflect, evaluate, and plan—whether updating skills, upgrading, or finding a new career path.

How does this impact me and my family?

In today’s competitive era, any stage of life can bring the realization of a job’s psychological impact. Clients from early starters to top executives, exhausted and burnt out, question their career path. Well-intentioned parents push children into careers for financial security, often overlooking personal and professional needs.

Unfulfilling jobs negatively impact mental health. This needs addressing.

Signs of being in an unfulfilling career:

  1. Feeling Wasted Time: Not living up to potential.
  2. Low Self-Esteem: Unworthy, insecure, and fearful.
  3. Job Threats: Worry about job security and financial well-being.
  4. Negativity: Contagious pessimism affecting relationships.
  5. Relationship Stress: Long hours, dissatisfaction, and unappreciation.

What can I do to help myself?

  • Identify Emotions: Recognize how your career impacts your mental health.
  • Seek Professional Support: A psychologist can provide objective help.
  • Communicate: Discuss job stress with your spouse to avoid misunderstandings.
  • Journal: Reflect on your situations calmly.
  • Self-Care: Physical health is essential. Implement a self-care routine.
  • Change Perspective: Notice positive aspects of your job.
  • Make Changes: Evaluate options within your current position or environment.
  • Career Shift: If necessary, explore new career paths for fulfillment.

If your current career is negatively impacting your mental health, and you want to make changes, talking with a mentor, close friend, or family member can help. If you’re experiencing anxiety, anger, feelings of depression, or other negative emotions, and they are impacting your life, working with a therapist can help. You can get in touch with us at:

Email: mansikpramarsh@gmail.com
Phone: +91-731-4263087

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EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING TO TREAT MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

WHAT IS EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EDMR)?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.

Francine Shapiro developed EMDR in 1987, she based EMDR on the notion that emotional distress can be processed when asleep during the rapid eye movement (REM). Phase.

She utilised this natural process in order to successfully treat Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Since then, EMDR has been used to effectively treat a wide range of mental health problems.

Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference.

It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.

WHAT IS AN EMDR SESSION LIKE?

After a thorough assessment, you will be asked specific questions about a particular disturbing memory.

Eye movements, similar to those during REM sleep, will be recreated simply by asking you to watch the therapist’s finger moving backwards and forwards across your visual field.

Sometimes, a bar of moving lights or headphones is used instead.

The eye movements will last for a short while and then stop.

You will then be asked to report back on the experiences you have had during each of these sets of eye movements.

Experiences during a session may include changes in thoughts, images and feelings.

With repeated sets of eye movements, the memory tends to change in such a way that it loses its painful intensity and simply becomes a neutral memory of an event in the past.

Other associated memories may also heal at the same time.

This linking of related memories can lead to a dramatic and rapid improvement in many aspects of your life.

WHAT CAN EMDR BE USED FOR?

In addition to its use for the treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, EMDR has been successfully used to treat:

  • anxiety and panic attacks
  • depression
  • stress
  • phobias
  • sleep problems
  • complicated grief
  • addictions

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Stress Awareness:an insight into the same

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »

We reproduce below the interview of our Ramneek Kapoor Psychologist and Family Therapist once again for the benefit of our readers and clients.

1 .What is ‘stress’

“I would refer to stress as “the mental, psychological, intellectual, emotional and physical unease to the personal situation and the expectation rose either by the self or by others to face/handle the situation “.

  1. Are all kinds of stress bad? How do we identify between good and bad stress?

“All kinds of stress is not bad, only the distress caused is bad. Eustress is a good stress that gives a high and stimulates the adrenaline. When you feel good about certain situation and event and feel you are able to handle it, you look forward to such a situational stress which results into a moral boost and good emotional physical feeling”.

  1. Do you think people are aware what stress does to their mind, body and soul? Do you think that once they realise how negative stress has adverse effects on them, they will be in a better position to manage it?

“Only a limited few numbers of people could be aware of the negative effects of the stress on their physical, mental, social, spiritual and emotional well being. Mere realisation that the stress is bad will not be enough. We need to also educate and inculcate in them the stress relieving self empowering meditation exercise routine on day to day basis. Preksha Meditation (perceptive meditation on the psychic centres) under the guidance of trained teacher will go a long way in relieving stress.

  1. In the world we are living in today, how important is it to spread awareness about stress? Are there any statistics that reveal how serious the problem of stress is one’s life?

“The very fact that more than 50 percent people suffer from the depression, anxiety and stress sometimes or the other in their life with no trained professional help to cope with this reflects the pitiable position of the awareness amongst common people. In fact no official statistics from any governmental source are available on the subject nor has any NGO worked on the subject authentically”.

  1. How do you think our previous generations managed stress better than today? Even with the state of the art technology and advance in medical sciences, why have we as humans not been able to cope/ deal with stress?

“It is a fashion to always refer to the better life of the previous generation. The fact is that the technological advancement has also brought with it the person related emotional, psychological and physical maladies in addition to making life easier. The state of art tech development has brought about personal isolation, in the midst of many. The person today is cut off and alienated from the self. He or she is always lost into an uncalled for competition with the others on the social media and into the realms of the imaginary virtual world.

  1. Do you think people today are ignorant about stress? Ignorance is bliss, but is this kind of bliss worth it?

“No they are not ignorant. They prefer living in the comfort of uncomfortable stress. The rat race takes its toll and the victims enjoy the bites of killing stress and anxiety and many other mental ailments. Eventually the person ends up with either cardiac problems or the chronic depression and anxiety will take toll on such persons “.

  1. Are there some observable and prominent symptoms a stressed individual will experience? Such as physical, mental, emotional, physiological etc.?

“Yes ;the breathing discomfort , sleeplessness , insomnia, loss of memory, eating disorder either binge eating or not getting hungry, social anxiety, irritation , unmanaged anger, repeated headache, psychosomatic pains , and weight gain/ weight loss are some of the prominent observable symptoms”.

  1. Who are the most stressed people according to you? What could be the causes for them being the most stressed?

“Adolescents, working women, housewives, company executives and even professionals with deadlines of times to meet are always under stress. But the large share of the stress cake goes to adolescents in the modern times. With the race to always look outwards and keep pace with the demands of peer aping the adolescents find it difficult to cope with the stress. This generation is neither amongst the younger generation nor are they amongst the adults. The social media, the rigid demands on their performances in academics and career aspirations’ of the parents for them, are some of the major reasons for this generation being most stressed

  1. What according to you triggers ‘stress? Do you think by being aware of the triggers we can be in a better position to manage stress?

Triggers of stress can be any event or situation that threatens the mental and physical equilibrium (homeostasis) of the body . The events can be either external or internal

. External can be the political, social, economic, competitive, family, academic, or work atmosphere. While internal triggers will relates to irresponsible behaviour, uncalled for self expectations, negative attitude towards life in general, and looking for perfectionism in self or others.

  1. What can be some of the long-term effects of stress? How does stress affect a person physically, mentally and emotionally?

The long term effects of chronic stress can be

  • Chronic sadness and depression. (2.) Chronic mental and physical fatigue. (3.) Chronic stress related illness (consistent headache, stomach ache, bowel problems, social anxiety) and other psycho somatic physical illness. (4) Isolating self, withdrawal, self destructive nihilistic thoughts .

Physical problems of the stress can be , sleep disorders, back, shoulder or neck pain, migraines , headaches, acidity, upset bowels, constipation, weight gain or loss, hair loss, loss of libido.

Emotionally the person can become nervous, edgy, depressed, moody, phobic, and not be able to focus and eventually suffering from Nervous breakdown.

  1. Please mention 5 useful tips for fighting/ managing stress? How can one follow these in his/her daily schedule and busy day?
    1. Accept life as it comes.
    2. Accept your self.
    3. Identify “ME” and try to become “ME” rather than becoming him, her ,they or she.
    4. Accept that perfectionism is a myth and utopia.
    5. Follow a healthy diet plan, an exercise and meditation routine to keep your heart health and positive.
  1. According to you, how can one prevent stress in everyday life? How do we know that the levels of stress have crossed the healthy limits? Until when can a person manage it on his/ her own?

“Stress is a natural occurrence but taking on too much can be avoided . Relax whenever you feel mentally, physically or emotionally exhausted before your stresses break you down”.

  1. Stress does not tend to only affect one person; its effects tend to spill over to the people around them. How do you think that we as a friend/ family member help a person dealing with stress?

“Stress is a personal problem but its manifestation can be felt and definitely seen in the family, friends and other areas of one’s life. The friends and family too should know that the life has to be lived in positive moments and as such the negativity should be eliminated from the life completely.

  1. What message would you like to give to our readers this Stress Awareness Month?

“Live life in positive emotions, the negatives are not meant for the living “.

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Mindful Perceptive Meditation can help cure ADHD

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 23, 2019| Leave a Comment »

adhdSachin (name changed)a young boy of 12 and a student of grade 7th had been termed a big nuisance by his class teachers.They could hardly control his activities.He would just not sit at one place in the classroom. His indiscipline created problems for his teachers in school . Of late he had started arguing back with his tutors at home .There have been complaints of his misbehaving with other children of his class . His mother, a single parent was at her wits end,not knowing how to proceed about. She was advised by the school to consult a psychologist.

ADHD-Awareness-Week-OPI-LivingAkshat {name changed} another child was standing outside the school Principal’s office.This was the third time in the current session when his parents have been called to the school by the authorities.Akshat had been sliding down the side railing of the second floor stairs all alone, when he had been intercepted by his class incharge.A joint evaluation by the school teachers,psychologist and psychiatrist diagnosed severe ADHD in the child. Our experience with treating ADHD children in many such cases have proved that mindful perceptive meditation can train and condition the young brain to concentrate better and hold focus even in the event of child suffering from ADHD.Such a holistic intervention and alternative treatment have benefited many and can help your child maintain self regulation, self discipline, and developing a better attention span.

38372779-confused-teenage-girls-preparing-for-exam-while-studying-with-laptop-and-textbooksWe have observed that many adults and children affected by ADHD find it very challenging to sustain their attention, and they exhibit a very hyper state of mind in situations where they are expected to remain calm and attentive.

Mindful Perceptive Meditation helps calm the hyper mind and delivers the attention training that brings about the much needed self-control.

Mindful Perceptive Meditation is neither religious nor does it promote any kind of cult. It basically involves perceiving your own breathings and vibrations, sensitivity of the endocrine glands of body thereby relaxing all your anxiety, stress and emotional upheavals .It transports you to a stage of oneness with your true inner self. Mindful perceptive Meditation connects you to your emotions , to your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensitivity and brings about a greater awareness of what’s going on within you. It brings about a complete sense of physical,mental, psychological emotional well-being.

Mindful Perceptive Meditation have been very effectively used by us to treat anxiety stress and depression. It helps control hypertension and brings down blood pressure .We have successfully verified its positive impact in the treatment of thyroid disorder . Mindful Perceptive Meditation has been effectively used in managing chronic neurological disorders and mood disorders.

HOW CAN MINDFUL PERCEPTIVE MEDITATION HELP PEOPLE WITH ADHD?

psychic cenMindful perceptive meditation exercise develops the inner peace of mind,establishes positive relationship with the self and brings about sense of confidence and stability of mind.It helps regulate functioning of the endocrine glands of body and creates good hormones in the body. Since mindful perceptive meditation involves perception of breathing, perception of centres of our psychic hence brings about a sea change in the mindset of the protagonists.It enhances attention span. It trains the mind in the process of self-observation , trains to take care of all kinds of negativity and develop an internal power of positivity, attention, and to develop different faculties of mind and intellect . It makes the subject better aware of his or her emotional state of mind and impulsivity.

meditation classHOW DOES YOUR CENTER TEACH THE PRACTICE OF MINDFUL PERCEPTIVE MEDITATION ?

Our focus is the client and the issue of ADHD that the client suffers from in addition to providing holistic solution to total life of the client. We provide Mindful Perceptive Meditation on individual basis exclusively as it involves complete focus and involvement of the person’s mind and body which can be done only in an atmosphere where the prime focus is on the individual himself/herself . Our 12 -weeks program consists of daily or on alternate day a one hours training session , and regular -home practise.We also make use of colour therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy simultaneously .

IS THE MINDFUL PERCEPTIVE MEDITATION AN ALTERNATIVE CURE OR A COMPLIMENTARY CURING PROCESS FOR ADHD .

Yes, Mindful Perceptive definitely provides a cure for ADHD,like we have mentioned above but in addition we also make use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy ,Colour Therapy and Holistic Therapy to bring about a total change in Perceptive faculties of the individual.Mindful Perceptive Meditation enables the person to shift focus from disturbing thoughts to constructive and positive thoughts

Although we do not recommend any medication but if someone is on medication already ,after a few weeks, the need for medication will be significantly reduced . Eventually the person will not be needing any such medicine,once the practise of mindful perceptive meditation is done by the person regularly at home too.Unlike meditation ,there are no side effects of perceptive meditation.

The person can in fact practise Mindful Perceptive Meditation anywhere and at any time, and gain complete control on his body and mind rather than reaching for medicine.It is the best stress buster and anxiety control technique for bringing down negative thinking,restlessness and sleeplessness too.

meditation singleHOW AND WHERE CAN MY CHILD JOIN MINDFUL PERCEPTIVE MEDITATION PROGRAM?

Mindful Perceptive Meditation Program is an ongoing individual focussed program.As such any one can join the program whenever the need is felt by the individual,the teacher of the child or even the parents themselves.Psychiatrists too can recommend your child/ward for this program as a complementary treatment for an early cure to the problem.

You can get in touch with us the following way:

Call 07314263087,09179383554,07224896739

Or visit our websites

http://www.perceptivemeditation.com

http://www.familytherapyindia.com

http://www.mansikpramarsh.com

Call on us @9179383554 or write to us @ mansikpramarsh@gmail.com

-Ramneek Kapoor – Family Therapist, Psychologist Counselor and Science of Living Expert.

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Mindful Perceptive Meditation and Talk Therapy can help Schizophrenia

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 3, 2019| Leave a Comment »

pm2Ashu (name changed) could not do anything in life ever since he had been diagnosed of schizophrenia by the psychiatrist. He had been prescribed psychotic medicines by different psychiatrist doctors wherever his family had taken him to them .Yet nothing helped. His fears and phobias had worsened with time. The voices in his head continued disturbing him. His logical cognitive ability had been completely distorted and for him all the delusions had become the real images and characters.

meditation singleSimilarly Sheena (name changed) continued with the fear and phobia of persecution at the hands of a person who had long moved out of her life five years ago. Sheena had been diagnosed of delusional disorder (a psychotic disorder).Her life had become completely miserable as she would often get lost into her phobia and would not be able to conduct her normal day to day routine life.

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that disables and distorts the logical thinking and cognition of the individual affected by this chronic brain disorder involving “positive” and “negative” symptoms.

Positive symptoms relate to hallucinations (hearing voices or seeing visions that aren’t real), delusions (fixed false beliefs), and disorganized thinking or speech. People suffering from active positive symptoms often respond to those symptoms in ways that are obvious to others around them (e.g., agitation, disorganization).Ashu, mentioned above had suffered from imaginative voices in his head hearing that someone is out to prosecute him and that he would be sent to prison. While these thoughts were not visible to others but he often complained of hearing voices and attributed the voices to one of the persons he had been dealing with in his family business.

Negative symptoms relate to substantial decline in the affected person’s social interactions, communication, and motivation to conduct day to day affairs. Sheena had displayed negative systems when she had been referred to us for, a “split personality.” behavior, but Schizophrenia has nothing to do with split personality. She had been suffering from delusional disorder, a kind of schizophrenic psychotic disorder.

Ashu and Sheena both exhibited resistance to antipsychotic medications and their family members were definitely at a stage when nothing could help them. Ashu did sometimes show partial improvements only to go back to from where it had all started. We noticed that Sheena’s problem continued to be more chronic and affected all aspects of her life. She did not respond to any psychotic medications being administered by the psychiatrist.

But both Sheena and Ashu found it difficult to establish and maintain relationships within the family and externally. They were unable to carry on their day to day work on account of mood swings and delusions that would take a toll of their logical thinking. Both had virtually cut themselves off socially. Their disordered thought process prevented them to understand that they were not normal in their thinking faculty like other people in their lives. Their family too found it quite an uphill and expensive task   to follow the treatment handed out to them by the doctor every fortnight on account of heavy cost and also due to the patient’s refusal to take the medication.

We decided to make good use of Mindful Perceptive Meditation Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy together to treat both Ashu and Sheena regularly on every alternate day basis in order to maintain regularity and without giving them a chance to revert to their pre conditioned schizophrenic way of thinking and cognition. Initially we found it difficult to communicate with the subjects as they would either not come for counseling or if they had come, they would not pay attention to what was being discussed. Gradually they started to respond to our instructions. We had begun the treatment with “Shwas Preksha ‘(Mindful Perceptive breathing exercise on the psychic centers) conducted under the watchful eye of the expert instructor. Soon we started noticing a significant improvement in both of our clients.

Thereafter we had begun with them the activities of “Mindful Perceptive Meditation” which involves both body and mind into deep meditation on the psychic centers, being fully aware of the moment and the breathe present in every living moment in its total intensity”. This continued along with the regular exercises of Kayotsarga to provide the much needed peaceful perception of the body through mind. Kayotsarga is a process of meditation that dissociates the physical body from the mind and it puts the muscles of the body to   complete rest progressively, somewhat similar to progressive muscle relaxation technique.

Peaceful-Mind-Remedies-South-Croydon-426x426Soon a very significant improvement could be noticed in certain negative symptoms, (e.g., negativity about self and family, sense of doom, lack of interest in surroundings and /lack of drive) started yielding to positive thoughts on all these issues .The clients did respond well as we noticed Ashu and Sheena both had begun looking at the positive aspects of their life. Their sense of appreciation for some aspects of their lives could be felt in their daily interaction with us. We could see their interest reviving in their day to day life too exhibiting positive symptoms.

These results had further been strengthened by the process of Mahaprana  Dhwani {greater inner sound effects  produced by the help of mouth and nose while exhaling  the breath by the patients }reformed  on all psychic centers during the process of deep perceptive breathing exercises and exhalation  undertaken by the patients.

Mindful Perceptive Meditation and CBT has been very effectively used by us in a variety of psychiatric/psychological disorders .We had used Mindful Perceptive Meditation and positive affirmative techniques to enable the affected person correct the functioning of endocrine glands producing negative steroids and emotions and subsequent faulty thought process .The practice of CBT generates critical cognition of actual position of the situation and helps analyze all kinds of thoughts with objectivity and factual back up. The Mindful Perceptive Meditation therapy supports written affirmative statements about the self and situations which would be given as homework exercises and are reviewed later with the clients. The whole process was focused on changing the negative perceptions about self and situations to positive emotions and thoughts.

Generally a patient requires 50 to 60 sessions over a period of three to four months. But in severe cases the sessions (each running for 45 minutes to one hour) can go up to 90 to 120 sessions over a period of 6 to 9 months’ time like it had been extended in these two cases for up to 6 months.

It gives us greater satisfaction and happiness that eventually after a hard work of six months , the patients had been cured of their problems to a large extent and with the help of their family and friends,  the process of rehabilitation  of both of  them into the family and society had been achieved.

We have   been making use of Mindful Perceptive Meditation and Cognitive Behavior Therapy successfully in many other cases of depression, anxiety, stress and many other psychotic disorders and many have been restored to their normal life.

Perceptive Meditation enables you live in and with your breath taking your mind away from your anxiety stress and worries of life .It empowers you to live in the moment with complete mindfulness of your soul ,body and mind “. Ramneek Kapoor.

If you have someone in the family suffering from any such disorder,Come and discuss with us how to proceed.

You take the first step today and  we help you  find the much needed happiness.

Call  on us @9179383554 or write to us @ mansikpramarsh@gmail.com

-Ramneek Kapoor – Family Therapist, Psychologist Counselor and Science of Living Expert.

 

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Perceptive Meditation and Mindfulness

Posted in daily writings and musings of the psychologist, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 29, 2018| Leave a Comment »

download“Perceptive Meditation enables you live in and with your breath taking your mind away from your anxiety stress and worries of life .It empowers you to live in the moment with complete mindfulness of your soul ,body and mind “. Ramneek Kapoor.

What is Perceptive Meditation and What is Mindfulness ?

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“Perceptive Meditation is the intense involvement of body and mind into deep meditation on the psychic centres being fully aware of the moment and the breathe present in every living moment in its total intensity”

Mindfulness refers to the process of focussing complete attention to the present moment of life and living life in its every moment with complete awareness .This enables acceptance of life’s every moment in its totality and being aware of life in a non judgemental manner .In a way Perceptive Meditation and Mindfulness both work in the same direction for the same purpose.

How do Perceptive Meditation and Mindfulness help when Practiced together
  • Both are practiced with the mind fully present in the here and now
  • Perceptive meditation through the process of Srir Preksha {Perceptive Meditation on various parts of human body each focussed separately } helps the protagonist meditate on the various parts of the body to experience both the negative and the positive without reacting or expressing any likes or the dislikes, love or hatred for any part , making the journey of the mind through the pleasant or the unpleasant thoughts sans reactions and thus developing a feeling of equanimity in all kinds of circumstances. Mindfulness is similar way of experiences of the pleasant and unpleasant being fully aware and feeling unthreatened .
  • Perceptive meditation develops better connect to the self and in the process bringing better acceptance of the internals with the externals, and of the other humans in the world around with complete mindfulness
  • The process of practising deep meditation in total mindfulness of the psychic centres brings about a complete peace of mind, a better physical , mental and emotional health in the individual and empowers with the cosmic energy.
  • The process of kayotsarga ie, the progressive mindful journey on all the body parts and psychic centres to dissociate the psychic centres and body parts consciously from the mind brings about a total; celestial self-awareness
  • The process of Lesya Preksha (mindful perception of the celestial colourful lights )on the psychic centers brings about a total peace of mind, better mental and emotional health and develops acceptance of all kinds of ups and downs in life without extreme reactions , thus empowering the mind for better tolerance and understanding .
  • Mindful perceptive meditation of the psychic centres helps separate the thoughts from the emotions distinguishing imagined from the reality.
  • Mindful perceptions of the psychic centres teaches to the practitioner that everything is temporal and that everything changes; that same way emotions, thoughts and feelings are also short-lived and temporary like the weather.Nothing remains permanent .
  • Perceptive meditation with total mindfulness brings about better balance of mind and emotional stability.
  • Mindful Perceptive Meditation brings about serenity ,calmness and peacefulness.
  • The mindful perceptive meditation makes the practitioner aware of the negative and the positive both and trains to focus the mind on positives .

Perceptive Meditation, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy

preksha dhyanMindful Perceptive Meditation on Psychic Centres is a very powerful, evidence-based meditation tool for enhancing emotional ,psychological and mental health.

It has very successfully been used as an effective intervention in a wide range of clinical disorders, including bodily distress disorder,psychosomatic pains, chronic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, OCD, substance abuse, and other neurotic and psychotic disorders bringing relief to the affected .

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