Tag: Mind Matters Series from Paonam Thoibi

Mind Matters

By Paonam Thoibi `Anxiety isn`™t always a bad thing; it helps you stay alert and focused` Q: I have heard so much about Anxiety Disorder. Also most of the people

By Paonam Thoibi

`Anxiety isn`™t always a bad thing; it helps you stay alert and focused`

Q: I have heard so much about Anxiety Disorder. Also most of the people I come across at, workplace seem to be having anxiety related to work stress, family etc. Are we all suffering from anxiety? Do we all need treatment, counseling or therapy? Name withheld

Ans: Anxiety is the body`™s natural response to danger, an automatic alarm that goes off when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a stressful situation. It is something which everyone experiences.

In moderation, anxiety isn`™t always a bad thing. It helps you stay alert and focused. But when anxiety is constant or overwhelming, when it interferes with your relationships and activities, when it gets characterised by marked negative effect, bodily symptoms of tension, restlessness, increased heart beat and muscle tension- that`™s when people should check if they are suffering from Anxiety Disorder.

There are different types of Anxiety Disorders and each of them is managed with specific treatment procedures- often a combination of both psychopharmacological interventions (medicines) along with psychological therapeutic intervention.

The major types of Anxiety Disorder are: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), Specific phobia (sometimes called simple phobia), Social phobia, Panic attack, Obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD), Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If at all you are disturbed by the amount of anxiety you are having, it is strictly recommended that you have a checkup at the nearest health facility center. You may need to measure the level of stress and accordingly start a management plan.

Q: Dear Madam, I am doing my general Arts stream studies now. I am really interested to do my masters in Psychology and try to become a Counselor. I love understanding people and their behavior but also know that this is not enough. What are the other characteristics or qualities one should have to become an efficient counselor? `“Subalaxmi, Kwakeithel.

Ans: Dear Subalaxmi, it is very good to know that many people are preparing to get into this helping profession. I believe you must be having all the qualities that are required to become a good counselor. The interest to become one is the first and foremost quality that will take you through the long and hard journey to become a skilled counselor.

I`™m sure you must know that to be a counselor, you need a lot `“ and I say again, a lot of Patience. It may take time for anyone you come across to accept certain things and pain in their lives and still more time to move towards positive changes. You should not be tired to discuss something wholeheartedly many times before they are prepared to make a move in any particular direction. Also, small incremental progress in your client`™s life should be noticed and rejoiced. A good listening skill is required as you will do more listening than talking. Yes, counseling is not talking nicely; it is more of listening with understanding. You should give your client time to express their feelings, confusion, doubts, emotions, anger etc. An ability to empathise- or understanding the way your client is feeling- exactly. Also, compassionately respond to their complaints about their problems. They should feel that you truly care about them. Even if you don`™t agree with their perspective, you still need the ability to understand how it feels to them in order to address their issue effectively. However, it`™s important that you are not too empathetic. Some people struggle as counselors because they are unable to maintain objectivity and therefore carry home the emotional stress of the job. The level of empathy necessary can be a fine line between helpful to client and harmful to counselor

When you are not yet a counselor, you must know that a genuine concern yields positive results. A nonjudgmental attitude is a must in counseling. Counselors hear all kinds of private information and encounter all types of people. You may hear dark secrets from someone`™s past involving such things as sexual or criminal behavior. You must do you best to refrain from judgment and instead communicate positively- respecting them as a person. You must also not push your cultural or religious views upon them. Multicultural competency is a necessary skill.

Confidentiality is of upmost importance when you are a counselor. You must be able to maintain confidentiality so the client can trust you with their most intimate concerns. Lastly, self- awareness about your own fears, insecurities, and weaknesses will be effective in the therapeutic relationship. It is important that you do not react defensively to what a client shares. You must be able to keep your own feelings out of the session. You will be better able to do this if you are self-aware. In addition, self-aware individuals are more intuitive with regards to solving their own problems and can use that knowledge to help clients through similar situations.

I would really encourage you to take up this profession and see how fulfilling it is both personally and professionally.

Readers are requested to send in their queries at mindmifp@gmail.com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/mind-matters-12/

Mind Matters

By Paonam Thoibi “It is believed that people who are suicidal want the pain to end but not their life itself” Q 1. Madam, I recently saw a legal counseling

By Paonam Thoibi

“It is believed that people who are suicidal want the pain to end but not their life itself”
Q 1. Madam, I recently saw a legal counseling programme on the local cable TV. The host of the programme who is also a lawyer was taking interview of a rape victim family. He himself declared that the identity and address of the victim will not be disclosed. But in the same programme he took interviews of the victim’s mother, victim’s sis-in-law and lastly the of the victim with her face morphed. He repeatedly mentioned that the victim is ‘maraibakthirabi’ and asked so many questions repeatedly. He was not only making mockery of the programme but he was actually re-victimising the victim. Just sharing some thoughts through your column.
-A Menaka, Khagempali.

Ans: Dear Menaka, I understand the anguish you have expressed and can understand the futility of the situation which the survivor of the unfortunate incident and the family members must have gone through. But before we jump into any conclusions its better if we can know the very purpose of the programme that you mentioned. It may be also possible that the survivor’s consent is taken and she is well aware of the whole programme beforehand.
But whatever the objective of the programme you are still right in bringing up the phenomena of‘re-victimisation’ or traumatisation of a person who had already undergone a horrific event. Many a times, no matter how well intentioned helpers may be some of our ways go wrong and this is just one instance. It may well point to lack of professional ethics and sensibility. This will do more harm than good as it had originally intended.
However, I would be limited in my comments and suggestion and encourage you to address your concern through this paper in the letter to the editor or directly to the legal counseling firm.
I appreciate your sincere thoughts.

Q: Dear Madam, even though I don’t know the correct numbers and figures, I think the rate of suicide is ever increasing. We do not really have suicide hotlines or suicide first aid centres. I want to know how having a hotline service or suicide counseling centres would help in this menace. Kindly share us some of the causes of people committing suicide so that we may be aware of it may prevent it in our best possible way.
-Student, K.V Langjing
Ans: Your question is a very thoughtful one and revolves around an issue which challenges all of us mental health professionals. Suicide as we all know is a self-inflicted death in which one makes an intentional, direct, and conscious effort to end one’s life. People commit or attempts suicide for many reasons, most of which no one knows. Mostly these are people in crisis –that is, under great stress, unable to cope, feeling threatened or hurt, and interpreting their situations as unchangeable.
Also, families of people who die by suicide report that they have some kind of psychiatric disorder, most commonly depression or bipolar disorder. The other major risk factors include substance use and abuse. A previous suicide attempt is another major risk factor and a number of people who successfully commits suicide have made a previous attempt. The loss of meaningful relationships and issues related to sexual identity or sexual orientation can also be reasons which can get people trapped in the depression which can lead to suicides. It is said that people who are suicidal somehow are telling people and reaching out in a way they that they are looking for some relief. Most of the time before the attempt they are said to be telling their close friends how they want to end their life and even how they have planned it. Therefore it is believed that people who are suicidal want the pain to end but not their life itself. It is on this logic that suicide centres and hotlines for suicide prevention are enforced. Mental health professionals can try to help people work through that intense psychological pain and find a way through it. The centers can try to help suicidal people perceive things more accurately, make better decisions, act more constructively, and overcome their crisis. Once a person with suicide risk is identified, intervention can start at the centre by a visit or quickly through a phone call which can skillfully be developed into a proper psychotherapeutic meeting very soon. The mental health professionals can take the opportunity to gather more information about actual risk, such as determining whether the client has an actual plan and the means to carry out the plan. The professional can challenge the irrational belief if the client’s life will be better if he/she commits the suicide. Also, crises can occur at any time, therefore the centers should ideally have a 24-hour-a-day telephone service (“hot lines”) and also welcome clients to walk in without prior appointments.
Also we should be aware that after a suicide attempt, the victims’ primary need is medical care. Some are left with severe injuries, brain damage, or other medical problems. Once the physical damage is reversed, or at least stabilized, a process of psychotherapy may begin. The goal of therapy is to help the client achieve a non-suicidal state of mind and develop more constructive ways of handling stress and solving problems.
All said and done, a good communication system in the family and the environment which has a foundation in good education and proper social and moral support can prevent many suicide deaths.

Readers are requested to send in their queries at mindmifp@gmail.com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/mind-matters-10/

Mind Matters

By Paonam Thoibi Q1: Dear counselor, are counseling sessions different from psychiatric sessions? When does one need professional Counseling? Often we read or see movie scenes where the therapist makes

By Paonam Thoibi
Q1: Dear counselor, are counseling sessions different from psychiatric sessions? When does one need professional Counseling? Often we read or see movie scenes where the therapist makes a person lie down on a couch. Is this integral to such sessions and is this practiced everywhere? Name and add withheld

Ans: Both psychological counseling and psychiatric sessions are various terms used to imply the psychological therapies or treatments provided to people who are seeking support and treatment for a wide range of mental health and emotional issues. Both are provided by a well-trained Psychologist or a Psychiatrist who underwent certain training, practice, ethics and earned a lot of experience. Simply put, a counseling session may look like someone confidentially talking to a well-trained person who is not a friend or family member; on how to tackle crises while psychotherapy tends to focus on a long-term and deeply embedded psychological conditions and problems.

Many people come across phases in their life when they need professional emotional support and provide suggestions to help them in decision making and problem solving. People with psychological conditions often show different signs and symptoms which makes the immediate family members or friends aware that they will need professional help.

In adults, the signs may be excessive sadness or irritability, aloofness, altered sleep and eating pattern, unexplained physical ailments, suicidal thoughts, deterioration of hygiene, substance use etc.

Children and pre-adolescents often presented with persistent disobedience, temper tantrums, hyperactivity and inattention, decline in academic or athletic performance, emotional outbursts, over consciousness of body weight, poor appetite etc.

And coming to the last part of your question; the use of a couch is traditionally a Psychoanalyst’s technique for Psychoanalysis. Therefore, a Psychoanalyst, who follows Freud’s theory of Psychoanalysis, would definitely make it a point to use a couch in their therapy sessions. Psychoanalyst have often noted that in lying down, peoples’ perspective changes. Clients become aware of their feelings and thoughts more. Also, an environment as such makes free association about the unconscious mental processes made possible which is the most integral part of Psychoanalysis.

Q2. Dear Madam, we often heard that people will suffer long term psychiatric illness if they met with trauma. Is it true? What is the best way to avoid it? – Ramesh, Checkon
Ans: Dear Ramesh, any traumatic event like experiences of rape, torture, military combat, earthquake, a disastrous fire, and the collapse of a large building etc can cause severe trauma.)

A cluster of psychological symptoms can follow a psychologically distressing event and this is called Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For a person who has been exposed to an intensely traumatic event to be diagnosed with PTSD, certain criteria are to be met. They include re-experiencing of the traumatic event in the form of recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections, dreams, reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, persistent avoidance of any reminders of the event, inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma numbing of general responsiveness, difficulty falling asleep, emotional lability and increased arousal or hyper-vigilance etc.

To warrant a diagnosis of PTSD, a person must experience these symptoms for at least one month.

Whenever a person comes across a crisis situation, a prompt and proper crisis intervention by skilled professionals is vital to reduce the risk of a person developing PTSD.

Psychotherapies like Testimonial therapy, Cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure treatments along with medications seem to be helpful to PTSD clients.

Q3. Is hypnosis used for counseling sessions? If so, when is it used and how effective is it? Some literatures have mentioned instances where people under hypnosis have experienced past life experiences. Is this possible? Th Opendra, Kongba

Ans: Dear Opendra, the Hypnosis technique used in Psychotherapy/Counseling is called Clinical hypnosis where a person receives hypnotherapy induced by qualified Hypnotherapist, with the aim of changing his/her dysfunctional behavior, emotional content and attitudes. It is used for the effective management of pain, anxiety symptoms, and depression, phobia and sleep disorders. Yes, people have reportedly heard about instances where past life experiences are relived under hypnosis. The practice is called “Past life regression” and is typically undertaken either in pursuit of a spiritual experience, or in a psychotherapeutic setting. It is still a hugely debated topic and many research found that contents of the memories reported from the past lives are based on the client’s belief in reincarnation and suggestions by the hypnotist.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/mind-matters-9/