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DEFENSE MECHANISMS – DAY 1: CLAIRE UNDERWOOD
Claire Underwood is a fictional character from the American political drama, House of Cards. Claire is known to be cold, power-hungry and even ideal to the public eye. But what defenses underlie her strong exterior? Read on to find out more.
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK 2016 – “DEFENSE MECHANISMS”
We begin our theme-based series for the Mental Health Awareness Week 2016! We all use psychological defenses to help us cope with something which we find difficult to accept. So for this time, each day of this week, we will put up a post that highlights the defense mechanisms used by a fictional character that you know about.
IS IT NORMAL TO HAVE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS?
Most of us have, at some point, found ourselves in the midst of suicidal thoughts. At least once, most of us might have thought about ‘ending it all’ or wished we could just ‘stop existing’ out of sheer exasperation. Having a fleeting thought about taking one’s life when feeling completely helpless about a life situation is natural. However, most of us move past it and we try dealing with our issues in some way or another.
EMOTIONAL EATING: DO YOU EAT TO FEEL BETTER?
If you’re new to the term “emotional eating,” reflect on these questions below: Do you eat to feel better (to comfort yourself when feeling upset,
IT’S HIGH TIME WE UNDERSTAND THE LGBT COMMUNITY
“Don’t cry. Boys don’t cry.”
“Hahahah! Beaten by a GIRL! What a wuss!”
Though most of us would say we support the rights of LGBT, very few of us truly strive to understand the LGBT community with an empathetic, open mind and even fewer are aware of the subtle ways in which we still fall prey to stereotypes and thereby, perpetuate them.
GENDER DYSPHORIA: NOT AT HOME WITH YOURSELF
Gender dysphoria refers to the intense distress, anxiety, confusion and guilt that an individual goes through when their biological sex comes into conflict with social constructs of gender. It is manifested by a stated desire to be the other sex, frequent passing as the other sex, desire to live or be treated as the other sex and through various other means. It is real and it happens more often than you think.
Are You Getting Enough Sleep?
May is Better Sleep Month, so let’s explore sleep, one of the elements of our lifestyle that we don’t pay conscious attention to, unlike dieting or exercising. You must know that not getting enough sleep over a long period of time could signal a deeper psychological concern and can have further implications on your mental health.
Feel Like You Aren’t Fitting In?
At times, you just know that this is where you belong, with your own close knit circle of like-minded friends.
However, have you ever found yourself in a group of friends wondering you don’t really belong in here? It might have felt like you have to try so hard fitting in with them.
THE COUNSELLING PROCESS: USING PLATO’S METAPHOR
People often seek therapy when they feel powerless in face of difficulties, in order to regain a sense of control. Therapy, however, is also a process of moving towards deep self-awareness. In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato describes how a person who is restrained in a dark cave for his entire life would feel when unchained and let out in the light of the sun for the first time. The counselling process, therefore, is not just as a ‘road to recovery’ but also a ‘path to self-realisation’.
THE TRIANGLE OF INNER CONFLICT
At times, we feel stuck in an endless, predictable cycle of feelings, behaviour patterns and situations. It seems as if we are continuously struggling, but still going farther away from what we truly want. In this article, our team of psychologists give their inputs on how it is likely that we might be struggling with a conflict that is more internal, than external – involving a wish, a fear and a defense.
REMINISCING 2015: ONGOINGS AT INNER SPACE
In the wake of our 5th Birthday and the New Year turning in, we find ourselves reflectively looking back at the work we have done in the year that has gone by. As we do that, we wish to share with you all about the ongoings at Inner Space for 2015. We deeply thank each one of you for being a part of Inner Space and showing your support.
WE TURN FIVE!
We turned five on 26th December, 2015! It’s the end of a year and the beginning of a new one, setting the stage for deep introspection…Our Chief Psychologist, Sadia Saeed Raval pens down her reflections and insights that the year gone by has offered, leaving us with some thoughts about how we could contribute to world peace!