Siddhant Clinic

Drug addiction is an addiction of a very severe kind. This causes the sufferer i.e. the drug addict to seek and use drugs compulsively despite the destructive consequences to themselves and those around them. This is known as a chronic brain disease because of the functional and structural changes it causes in the brain. It is the overpowering dependence on illegal or legal medications and drugs. One cannot quit taking drugs just by strong will or good intentions. Ayurveda's holistic method combines exercises, meditation, and herbal medicines to cure addiction towards drugs.

Ayurvedic Remedies:

1. Panchakarma Therapies-Only an ayurvedic expert should perform the panchakarma therapies and rituals on you. It promotes cleanliness and helps in detoxifying the body. These therapies are done using various herbs and oils in accordance with the ancient traditions to eliminate negative conditions.
2. Virechana-It is the most useful Panchakarma therapy to treat addiction. Virechana is known to cleanse the gastro-intestinal tract and purify the blood of toxins of a period of a few days. It helps decontaminate your spleen, stomach, liver, kidneys, colon, intestines and sweat glands through varied herbs and laxatives such as castor oil, mango juice, raisins, cow's milk, psyllium seeds, flaxseed husk, prune and senna.
3. Rasayana therapies-Rasayana therapy is another very useful Ayurvedic treatment for treating drug abuse and addiction. It is based upon the transmutation and conservation of energy to improve the mental as well as physical characteristics in order to increase your body's natural metabolic processes while enhancing your immune system and brain function. Rasayana therapy consists of intricate face, head and full body massages which are combined with medicated creams and herb oils. This therapy is also useful to remove artificial aging which occurs due to prolonged drug abuse.
4. Yoga-The chaotic chemicals are known to wreak havoc on the drug addict's brain during the process of recovery. Resorting to exercise or yoga will help generate extra endorphins which are very helpful for clarity. To recover from drug addiction, you must join a structured yoga class along with other ayurvedic therapies. Yoga is beneficial since it stimulates every part of your body without applying too much stress on any one part. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.

Are you stressed out lately and not being able to overcome it for a long time? With the holiday season approaching, you are bound to feel worse as your stress is bound to get in the way of celebrations. Winter is a promising time for celebrating, travelling and having fun, and you cannot let your patience and stress ruin it. Here are some steps following which you will be able to cope with your stress and anxiety, so that you can enjoy

Start with a clear mind:

1. Realize that some things are just beyond your control. This is a tough thing to do, but you have to accept it just like the fact that you cannot control rain, sun, and the actions of people. Fighting against something beyond your control will make you stressed out and miserable.
2. Realize that there are things, which are in your control. Focus on them and get a firm grip on them. The power of controlling your actions and reactions lies only in your hands. You can also influence your state of consciousness, your physiological responses, and mental processes.
3. Learn to surrender and seek acceptance. Instead of resisting against the aspects which you cannot control, surrender to them. This does not make you weak, nor a loser. It is just accepting that you cannot change certain things.
4. Be mindful. Stop for a moment, and try observing your internal experience, without any form of judgement. Try to become more conscious and aware of what goes on inside you.
5. Take charge of your thoughts. The aim here is not to ignore and deny certain thoughts, but to transform them after analyzing and acknowledging them.
6. Utilize your breath. It is an effective tool, which remains with you forever and connects your body and mind. Deep, slow breathing can be more beneficial than you could ever imagine. Keep inhaling and exhaling till you feel relaxed. This is excellent for calming your nervous system.
7. Look at the brighter side of life, no matter how hard it may be. Focusing on positive things might make you discover a solution for your stressful condition.
8. Take proper care of yourself. Self care is important for eliminating stress. You should take regular showers, eat balanced diet, exercise regularly, and carry out pleasurable activities.
9. It is important for you to abstain from comparing yourself with others. Comparisons can cause distorted perceptions and increase stress. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a psychologist.

Peer pressure occurs when a person engages in certain activities against his/her wishes only because other people around are doing it. 

However, in school/college, your friends tend to be influential and with the intention of impressing them or “fitting in”, you might lapse into the kaleidoscope of alcohol, narcotic substances and other unfavourable habits.

Dealing with peer pressure is essential as it will keep you focused and help you remember the reason you came to school/college for. Once you give into peer pressure, turning back is very difficult and prolonged exposure to the wrong company and substances will lead to your downfall. Thus, avoiding peer pressure in an absolutely new setting is necessary.

Here are a few ways to avoid/deal with peer pressure:

1. Introspection: It is important to know yourself and the beliefs and morals you believe in to live by your own principles. To know yourself better, you need to introspect- Do you think drinking alcohol is wrong? Is lying to your parents dangerous? Will smoking actually make you happy? 

When you are aware of the values you stand for, you will be able to take a stand better when someone forces you to do something contradictory to your beliefs.

1. Don’t be afraid to say no: Don’t be afraid to take a negative stance regarding something you don’t want to engage in. If your companions are still forcing you, do not change your stance and try something for the sake of it. Say no with conviction and the more certain you are with your stand, the lesser people will force you into something.
2. Choose your friends wisely: This doesn’t mean that you need to limit yourself to interacting with only certain kind of people. However, when the situation boils down to building good relations, it is advisable that you choose people who share the same beliefs and values as you. This makes you less prone to peer pressure as your friends will constantly keep reminding you what’s wrong.
3. Avoid stressful situations: If you think you won’t be able to handle the pressure inflicted you on by your peers, avoid those situations. For example, in a party, if you’re being forced to drink alcohol despite you denying, head for the exit.

Mood disorders are common psychological problems that affect a vast portion of the human populace all over the world every year. These occur when there is a shift or imbalance in a person's psyche which affects his or her daily function and interpersonal relations in varying degrees. Each individual is affected by these conditions in a different capacity and responds to them in a distinct manner.

Mood disorders generally manifest themselves as fluctuations in a person's temperament. It is triggered by various factors. These mental illnesses range from mild to severe, the latter requiring urgent psychological counseling and treatment. A mild condition may even develop into a painful and chronic one without any form of remedial intervention.

What are the most common types of mood disorders?

There are many distinctive categories of mood disorders that can affect a person. The most commonly occurring ones are as follows:

1. Major depressive disorder
2. Bipolar disorder
3. Dysthymia
4. Cyclothymia
5. Seasonal affective disorder (sad)

Major depression is the most frequently occurring type of mood disorder. It causes mental and emotional turmoil, as well as physical anguish. Those affected by it may experience a single episode in isolation or multiple episodes over a period of time. The milder version of this condition is known as dysthymia.

Bipolar disorder is a comparatively rare condition that causes alternating states of extreme mania and depression. It is also known as manic-depressive illness. The mild version of this is called cyclothymia.

Seasonal affective disorder or sad is a depressive disorder that is known to affect those living in colder climes. It is caused generally by the lack of warmth and light, the onset of which begins in late autumn and lasts till the end of winter.

What causes a mood disorder?

Mood disorders are very difficult to diagnose as they can be caused by an assortment of triggers and the symptoms are not always apparent. This is particularly true in the case of dysthymia and cyclothymia.

Some of the usual factors that lead to mood disorders are:

1. Chronic stress and anxiety
2. Anomalies in the functioning of the nervous system
3. Prolonged periods of isolation
4. Genetics
5. Childhood abuse and trauma
6. Ineffectual coping mechanisms
7. Insufficient nourishment/malnutrition

In most cases, a combination of multiple factors usually leads to the development of mood disorders and other mental illnesses.