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Inner Space Team

Our psychologists and counselors regularly contribute articles to the Inner Space blog sharing their insights and expertise on various subjects pertinent to psychological and emotional health.

Child Depression

IS YOUR CHILD DEPRESSED?

Depression can affect children as well.

Many of us would feel that this is just a child, how can he/she be depressed? Perhaps it’s just a mood swing or a phase. Yes, that happens too. Not every child who seems sad or introverted is depressed. But if you notice a significant change in your child’s behavior, which he just doesn’t seem to be ‘getting over’ and is adversely impacting his school work and/or relationships, perhaps it’s time to pay attention.

Safety tips

COMMUNICATING SAFETY TIPS TO CHILDREN

Given the fast paced life we all lead, it is a tad too difficult to supervise our children the way our parents probably did. They need to be more independent and therefore need to be aware of all the do’s and don’ts of daily life, especially those pertaining to safety. While this is of paramount importance, it is equally important to provide a balanced perspective of safety to our children.
What I mean to say is we need to guard against communicating to the child that ‘the world is an unsafe place’ and that ‘people are all out to take advantage of you.’ If the child adopts any such belief, it may lead to emotional turmoil which could manifest in anxiety and apprehension, separation anxiety and clinginess or a refusal to be alone. Let us understand better how this happens:

Impermanence

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 6

TIP 6: BELIEVE IN IMPERMANENCE

Nothing lasts forever

About the lows:
Do you believe that good things don’t last forever?

Unfortunately true isn’t it?

However, flipping the coin around you’ll see that even bad things don’t last forever!

I’m sure each of us has been through some difficult times. Times when life was so tough that it was difficult to smile, when each breath and each step took just too much effort. Remember the times, when you thought it was impossible to survive without a loved one, or to conquer this particular challenge, or to surface from this deepest low. Pause. See where you are now. You didnt just survive, you lived! The disaster passed. Life went on. You moved on.

Irrational Thinking

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 5

TIP 5: Identify Irrational Thought Patterns

‘I should be loved by everyone for everything I do.’ How does this statement sound to you? Chances are it will sound unrealistic, irrational and almost impossible. How can anybody be loved by everyone for everything they do?

Let me introduce a situation here. You are at a party, exchanging pleasantries with other folk. You spot someone you know across the room. You generously walk up and say ‘hi’. That person however barely acknowledges you and walks away. How are you likely to feel? Are you more likely to dismiss it and say, ‘never mind, he must have been frustrated’ or to dwell upon how ‘disrespectful’ and ‘insulting’ a gesture that was?

Stress and effect on the body

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 4

TIP 4: Understand your stress and Don’t Ignore Your Body

Today is the less stress day and this is our tribute to it.
Stress is a household term these days. Everyone from the bored elderly to the overworked adults to the overburdened kids is “stressed”. As each of us fights this demon, not just our minds but our bodies are actively engaged in the struggle.

Solution

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 3

TIP 3: YOU Play a Very Important Part in the Solution of YOUR Problems

Why are you unhappy?

Only 3 possible sources:

– The situation

– Other people

– Yourself

Not convinced with the third option? Read on.

Most of us feel that our emotional suffering and pain are created by situations or people. However, the only one who has any power to make you happy or unhappy is YOU. Our emotional responses are triggered by our own perception of a situation or event only.

Positive Thoughts

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 2

TIP 2: Be Positive Even In Positive Situations –
If we give a thought to it, ‘think positive and be optimistic’ is a tip we often tend to use when faced with a negative situation. In other words, a general interpretation of “think positive” is, “think positive when things go wrong.” When I have overshot a deadline and am expecting fireworks from my boss, I need to “be positive” and tell myself, “he may just be in a good mood today.” This is what we do when we’re faced with a negative situation. However, what about when we’re faced with a positive situation??

Health

PREVENTING DEPRESSION – BOOSTING YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL IMMUNITY

Depression is often triggered by untoward traumatic events that one is unable to deal with emotionally. These events may be sudden and severe like accidents, gradual and continuous like terminal illness or even ongoing and day-to-day like conflicted relationships. At any given time, many people are affected by the particular trauma. However, only a few end up suffering from depression. What makes some people more likely than others to suffer from depression?

Children Playing

TOYS IN BIR

This is a guest post by Monisha Mukundan.

Walking towards the stream one day, I passed two little boys intent on their toy. It completely absorbed the attention of both the boy manipulating the device as well as his companion. It was the metal lid of a tin, perhaps a tin of powdered milk or ghee, with rounded edges, and a length of wire. The wire was bent at one end, to hook around the lid. The boy was driving the lid along the cement path with the wire. The path was not smooth and it took skill and concentration to keep the lid turning. The boy’s companion was as intent on the game as he was, perhaps he was waiting for his turn and mentally practising as he watched.

The Art of Listening

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