Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder in which a person s mood, knowledge, thought and several other characteristics gets disturbed. We can notice most of the adults and old people with few symptoms of schizophrenia, which are most commonly left unidentified. The exact cause of schizophrenia is not yet known. The person feels that they are being constantly watched, they feel the presence of someone or something, which is not actually there. They are always suspicious and think that other people are gossiping and thinking about them.

Possible causes of Schizophrenia
Though the exact cause of schizophrenia is not known there are few factors, which contribute to the cause of schizophrenia.

    Genetic factors: People with a family history of schizophrenia are at higher risk of getting schizophrenia.
    Environmental factors: Environmental factors include excessive stress during pregnancy or later stages of life. Several other factors during pregnancy and childhood are responsible for causing schizophrenia. These factors are:
        Decreased oxygen level during delivery due to premature birth or prolonged labour
        Parental loss or separation in early stages of life
        Parental exposure to virus or during infancy
        Childhood physical or sexual abuse
        Abnormal brain structures and brain chemistry

Sings and symptoms of schizophrenia

    Hallucination: To see, feel or hear anything that really does not exist is known as hallucination.
    Delusion: A thought or belief of a person, which is either false or impossible in reality is known as delusion.
    Thought and speech disturbances: The thought process and speech of a schizophrenic will be disorganized, due to which he or she  will fumble or is distracted as they are unable to align their thoughts.
    Difficulty in concentrating: It is difficult for people suffering from schizophrenia to concentrate on the task at hand.
    Erratic behaviour: People suffering from schizophrenia tend to behave erratically, either they will be too jumpy or will be perfectly still for hours at a stretch. Most people belief that those who are suffering from schizophrenia are often violent in nature, which actually is not the case.

Treatment for schizophrenia
Schizophrenia can be treated, if identified at an early stage. . It is best advised to consult a psychiatrist the moment you spot the symptoms. Anti psychotic drugs, self help behaviour change, counselling and rehabilitation are few treatment modalities available for schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia: Can Genetics be the Reason Behind it?

If you're suffering from weak memory or memory loss, Ayurveda might be able to solve your problems. Ayurveda uses natural remedies to cure many diseases, and even though forgetting where you put your glasses or cell phones may not sound discrete enough, it may be early signs of dementia. Before it escalates to that level, here are 5 foods that you may try to curb it as the first signs appear.
1. Almonds are the most effective food items to increase your brain power and cure amnesia. They are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that hike up your mental prowess. It is best to have them early in the morning, grinded and mixed with milk and sugar (or a healthier supplement being honey), or otherwise, after being soaked overnight in water.
2. Ayurvedic herbs, like rosemary, brahmi, ashwagandha, shankhapushpi, licorice plant, etc., are all known to have medicinal properties that improve your brain power. Regulated incorporation of these herbs in your diet in requisite amount relaxes your mind, and thereby improves its functioning capacity.
3. Indian Gooseberry or amla, is rich in Vitamin C, as well as antioxidants, which helps boost immunity, but other than that, amla is also known to have properties to strengthen your nervous system. It is one of the best remedies for managing Alzheimer's disease. It can be consumed raw or dried, and at times along with white sesame seeds.
4. Fish oil is an excellent way to enhance your memory, especially if you are a non-vegetarian. It contains rich quantities of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help rejuvenate your brain cells. But if you are a vegetarian or vegan, fish oil or even fishes like salmon, might not be best suited to your dietary preference, in which case it may be more helpful to consume Omega-3 supplements which are readily available in the market, or even fenugreek seeds.
5. Cinnamon helps in revitalizing your mental health, when consumed, or even when smelled. Add a pinch of cinnamon to your food, or mix a teaspoon with honey, and it will work wonders for your mental health.

5 Ayurvedic Tips To Improve Memory Power - Boost Your Mind Power

Smartphone Addiction is a Sign of Depression

There are some people who just never seem to get off the phone. They would be looking at their phones all the time, messaging, using social networking sites or simply clicking their pictures or playing games. A study suggests that addiction to the smartphone is linked to and serves as a sign of depression.

The study reveals that individuals who have been diagnosed with some form or degree of depression tend to use their phones more. In fact, smartphone addiction is correlated to clinical depression. So, if your teenage son or daughter or someone you know have been using their phones too often, then this might be a red signal towards depression.

Smartphone addiction can be seen as a compulsive behavior and is typically noticed among depressed people. At the same time, it can result in depression as well. People who are prone to developing depression symptoms may also use their phone more often. Their excessive usage and smartphone addiction may actually make them irritable and sad, looking at photos of others, noticing other people’s lives may make them feel that their lives aren’t perfect. This can in turn lead to feelings of extreme sadness, cause depression or even suicidal thoughts.

So, make sure that you keep a tab of how often people use smartphone in your family. If you suspect behavioral changes with smartphone addiction, consider getting a consultation with a psychologist or counsellor.

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Your Addiction To Smart Phone Reveals Something Shocking About You!

Reducing, limiting or stopping the intake of alcohol can be a bumpy road. Impossible as it may seem, it is possible to recover from alcoholism with proper care and support. Recovery being a gradual process, denial often plays a spoilsport. The first step is to accept that alcohol abuse is occurring and take the necessary steps to remedy it. 

Here is a list of a few steps that psychologists suggest can get rid of alcoholism:

Doing a cost-benefit analysis: The first thing a psychologist suggest is to do a cost-benefit analysis. For instance, the benefits of drinking could be having fun, a possible way to relax, forgetting about the problem at hand etc. On the other hand, the benefits of not drinking could be a better state of physical and mental well-being, improving relationships, having more time and energy to lead a healthy life etc. Similarly, the cost of drinking could be problems in relationships, depression, anxiousness, poor performance at work etc. The cost of not drinking, on the other hand, could be finding other solutions to deal with problems, losing drinking buddies, taking up more responsibilities etc.
Setting goals: The next step is to set goals pertaining to giving up alcohol for good. It is important to be realistic while doing this. The goal should be specific and precise in nature. For instance, the goal could be writing the date of quitting alcohol in a personal diary or something such as drinking a certain amount of alcohol during weekdays and weekends etc. It is important to announce or share the goal with dear ones. It helps to reduce temptations and avoid bad influences.
Cutting back drinking or quitting at one go: The next step is to work towards the goal. Once the goal is set, it must be adhered to. Keeping a personal diary to measure everyday drinking goes a long way in quantifying and ultimately limiting it. Instead of going out and drinking with buddies, drinking at home could help curb alcohol intake. Drinking slowly is also helpful when trying to quit alcohol.
Get sober safely: While some people can give up drinking over-night, some need medical and psychological assistance to quit. Either way, it makes sense to seek expert advice while quitting alcohol. Suddenly quitting alcohol can result in withdrawal symptoms. Nausea, headache, anxiety, sweating, shaking, elevated heartbeat etc. are some of the withdrawal symptoms. It is possible to counter these symptoms medically.
Change in lifestyle: While the body gets used to an absence of alcohol, it is necessary that certain lifestyle changes are made. For instance, daily exercise, building a good support network, developing a new interest, eating healthy food, meditation etc. helps a person to quickly get used to life without alcohol.

De- Addiction - 5 Things Your Psychiatrist Will Suggest!

Ayurveda is a renowned life science that has been credited with changing lives since ancient times. Not only can it prevent diseases and ailments, but it can also cure them with its combination of herbal medication, everyday routine and yogic poses. Weight management is a field that also enjoys various Ayurvedic remedies. Some of them are as follows.

Herbs: Herbs are a way of healing used by Ayurveda, and the use of various herbs can help in hastening the metabolism for healthy weight management.

Taste: Ayurveda recognizes six distinct tastes that should be incorporated into one's daily diet. These tastes include salty, pungent, sour, sweet, bitter and finally, astringent. Each of these tastes has several properties that balance the various hormones and health factors in one's body. These tastes form the various counterpoints to alleviate all kinds of health problems, which finally help in effective weight management. Also, one must eat all the seasonal fruits and vegetables to keep the body and hormones in good balance.
 
Exercise: While a daily routine of exercise is a must in any life science, Ayurveda too propagates the devotion of at least 45 minutes to one hour towards some form of exercise. Walking is said to be the most important and effective forms of exercise, followed by several yoga poses that can help in better weight management. Also, as per Ayurveda, it is important to move after each and every meal, so that a routine of eating and activity is built into the system. 

Sleep: Ayurveda recognizes sleep or rest as one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle. While good eating habits and exercise form one side of it, sleep or rest completes the triangle. One can also practice the Savasana or resting pose for a period of rest. And at least six to seven hours of sleep is a must as per Ayurveda.

Meditation: This practice helps in focusing on awareness which can instil the desired function like weight management in the body. Being mindful of what your body needs can also help in eating and exercising right.

Weight management is a lifelong process in Ayurveda.

Weight Management and Ayurveda

Sadly, millions of people around the world attempt to commit suicide every day. This can be defined as the act of purposefully taking one s life. There can be many causes for a person to take this extreme step but in most cases, the person gives out warning signs before committing suicide. It is important for us as family and friends to look out for these signs and protect our loved ones.

Social withdrawal: When a person loses interest in things he or she likes to do normally or starts keeping a distance from others, it may be cause for concern. Social withdrawal is one of the most common symptoms of depression. Depression could in many cases trigger suicidal thoughts.
Focus on death: People having suicidal thoughts may talk openly about death and wanting to die. Do not take this lightly. In other cases, they may be fixated on death and begin researching various ways to take their life. This could also take the form of buying a gun, sleeping pills or a sharp knife.
Despair: Nobody likes listening to others crib but in many cases, this may be a way for a depressed person to seek help. Many people commit suicide not to end their lives but to end the physical or emotional pain they are suffering from.
Making Plans: People thinking of committing suicide may begin drafting suicide notes or start making plans to get rid of their belongings. This could be in the form of a sudden garage sale or drawing up a will.
Reckless behavior: People who are depressed and contemplating suicide may show signs of reckless behavior as they think they have nothing to lose. They could start drinking excessively or doing drugs or even have unprotected sexual intercourse. Drugs and alcohol could also be a way for them to lessen their pain. Driving under the influence or driving too fast could also be a sign to look out for.
How can you help?
If you do notice something strange, do not ignore it. Try talking to the person and help them express their frustration in words. Find ways for them to meet more people and do something different. You should also encourage the person to talk to a professional mental health care expert. If you are in a situation where someone threatens suicide, do not leave them alone. Try to calm them down and call for help immediately.

How To Identify Suicidal Behaviour?

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