Category: In the Loop

Feeling blue at times is normal. It fades away with time and you’re back to your old cheerful self. But with depression, that feeling of sadness doesn’t seem to go away, so much so that it begins to impact your daily life and impairs your ability to function. This is why it is important to treat depression early. Leaving it unaddressed could make the feeling worsen to an extent that you might give in to risky behaviors, such as self-harm, or drug or alcohol abuse. Appetite changes, lack of energy and social withdrawal are some of the other key symptoms of depression, apart from the overall feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. These can impact your relationships, health and career, making the whole situation spiral into a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, it is vital to learn about different kinds of depression to ensure quick intervention by professionals. Depression treatment can include medication and therapy and can work wonders to change your quality of life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, meditation training and mindfulness have been found to offer rapid relief. But before that, take a look at the types of depression to make an accurate identification of what you are experiencing. Major Depressive Disorder… Read more »

Did you know that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues faced by children? Different kinds of anxiety affect younger people at different stages. It could be phobia or separation anxiety at younger ages, social anxiety at a later stage when peer relationships are important. Nearly one in three adolescents witness some kind of anxiety disorder by the age of 18. This includes specific phobia of a thing or an event, social phobia, separation anxiety, panic disorder, and a general anxiety disorder. Dealing with Anxiety Many times, parents in their desire to help their anxious child exacerbate the problem.  What is important is to identify the factor causing the anxiety and then dealing with it accordingly. The goal should be to help the children to face their fears or phobia and manage the anxiety level by offering the right treatments by using the latest psychotherapy techniques, mentions IPG Counseling. Assurance that It Can be Dealt With – Instead of telling a child that his/her fears are unrealistic it is better to deal with them and assure him that they can be managed or dealt with. Rather than telling a child that he won’t fail in an exam, convince… Read more »

Good social skills mean a lifetime of healthy interactions. It helps a child develop better social skills, interpret feelings of others and learn to cooperate. In fact, the development of the brain depends on environmental stimulation, which further enhances cognitive, language and emotional skills, according to an article by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Self-regulation, play-skills, attention, executive functioning and sequencing also improve. However, not every child is as social. They might stand away from the crowd, bury themselves in books or prefer solitary play. This could be a personality trait, but it is important to examine whether the child is having trouble connecting with others or communicating through speech, gestures and facial expressions. Further, children also need to learn how to behave in different social situations. So, for children with lower social interaction, here’s how to help navigate challenges. Seek Professional Help Experienced child counselors have a unique ability to establish rapport and relate the causes of social skill deficits to their effects and provide effective counseling, according to an article by the Institute for Personal Growth. Choose a therapist who keeps parents in the loop too, while working on body image and insecurities to alleviate social fear…. Read more »