Popular television actress Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide has once again aroused the question ‘why end life this way’? She is the latest to be added to the list of Bollywood Actress Jiah Khan, VJ Nafisa Joseph and the likes. Recently heard of a young medical student committing suicide and I’m sure there are many more who have succumbed, only it hasn’t become national news.
The article doesn’t aim to decipher or decode why Pratyusha committed suicide. But tries to provide a picture as to what causes a person to take such an extreme step. On the outset, the lives of all those mentioned above seemed to be going pretty smoothly, then why such a tragic death? No matter how glamorous or perfect a life seems, everyone has their share of problems. It could be financial issue, relationship, death and the list goes on. When things go wrong or against our expectations, most will hit a low and feel caught in a web of emotions.
However, most would seek the help and support of friends, family, mentors, therapists and the like. Life seems a burden in the midst of a crisis because we are not able to see the bigger picture and remember that ‘this too shall pass’. This is where ‘support system’ becomes so important. Our well-wishers show us what we’re worthy and capable of when we’re focusing on an unsuccessful relationship or project for example.
At this point, as a Psychologist, we help clients reassess life and bring their focus to anything that could uplift them- be it volunteering, a goal or travelling. We all need ‘something to look forward to’- it is essential to help an individual focus on these and help them overcome the short-sighted view of life that normally engulfs during such stressful times.
Sadly, the alarming rate of suicide among youngsters also highlights that their coping mechanism seems inadequate. It is normal to be a little low, moody and depressed when things are not going great but when it goes beyond 2-3 weeks, then the individual ought to seek support. Alcohol and drugs are only a temporary escape from reality. We have to accept the challenge and face it head–on at some point. It seems that especially with high profiles, the need to appear at their best and image management is a priority. I recall a high-profile celebrity stating that he didn’t know how to emotionally be present with his family during a crisis because they are so used to curbing emotions. Too much curtailing and faking of emotions will affect the individual, especially in what seems to be a crisis.
Normally, an individual attempting or committing suicide is usually depressed and/or tends to be impulsive. Studies have shown that adequate support and care many a times prevents suicide. The tendency to magnify an issue is very common in such circumstances. Therefore, the individual feels he/she doesn’t have adequate resources to cope with the issue at hand, and feels death resolves the suffering. I recall reading that it is not death they seek but it’s an avoidance of life.
The least we can do is to reach out to those who seem to be going through a tough phase. This does not mean over powering or taking over them but letting them know that ‘I’m here for you’. Everyone faces some stressor/s- we can choose to take it as a challenge and that’s when it can empower us and thus becomes Eustress or Positive Stress. Else, if we let it engulf us- it becomes Negative Stress or Distress. One thing that i found helpful with my clients is to focus their attention on some goal – no matter how small, so that energy is directed towards it and thus slowly begin the process of healing and self-empowerment. Life is too precious – let’s embrace it with all its ups and downs.
Benefits of Aromatherapy
Imagine how incomplete our lives would be, if you could not smell food, enjoy the smell of flowers, and experience the fresh scents of nature, the sweet smell of a baby…yes!! that’s right they are too good to miss. Our nose provides us with a sense of smell, which is one of the five senses that a body experiences. Smell or aroma plays a significant role in our lives.
The aroma can also be used in a therapeutic way to heal and provide relief from a number of causes, be it beating stress, aiding peace & calm, inducing sleep, relaxation, cold or boosting the immune systems to name a few. Aromatherapy is an interesting approach to alternative healing. It requires little or no intervention from health practitioners and can be practised on your own.
Health benefits of aromatherapy include managing depression, reducing stress, beating anxiety, promoting peace & calm, pain management, migraine/headache reduction, aiding digestion and increase in blood circulation. Aromatherapy has been around for long, do you remember when our mother’s and grandmother’s used to make us inhale a few drops of eucalyptus oil for beating cold with or the use of incense sticks for prayers thereby creating a sense of calm or use of herbs for keeping the house free of insects and flies. That’s use of aromatherapy in our daily lives.
The advancement of science and technology has seen a tremendous facelift in the area of aromatherapy as well, oils and extracts of exotic plants and trees are now easily available in the markets. Aromatherapy has been used in India, parts of Europe, USAbut is now gaining popularity all over the world. The oils available in the market today are researched, patented and tested safe for use. They reach the markets after much deliberations and certificates of approval from the health & wellness government bodies.
Some benefits of aromatherapy in the following conditions:
How can these oils be used?
Aromatherapy is a branch of science which combines the essence of different plants, roots, flowers, herbs in the form of essential oils. These oils can be used to heal and treat a lot of common ailments or simply for relaxation.
Yeay!!! You are now a MOTHER. The struggles of pregnancy now seem irrelevant. The days of morning sickness, achy backs, insomnia seems like a thing of the past once you set your eyes on the tiny miracle that you brought into this world. Now that you are responsible for another life apart from yours, it becomes very essential that you care for your health. And what is better than Postpartum yoga for health?
Postpartum care is the first few weeks upon delivery where the body heals itself from the harrowing experience that is childbirth. This is the time to take it easy, rest as much as possible and heal. The period after delivery is sometimes referred to as the fourth trimester and this is the time to recover physically with yoga after delivery and a great time to bond with the newborn.
Some women think that they will return back to their pre-pregnancy bodies as soon as they have given birth. But your body has seen enormous change- there are bruised and torn tissues that need to be healed, labor itself is pretty hard on your body, you need to recover from it, milk production needs to get underway. Plus the uterus that has been stretched to its limit needs to contract to its pre-pregnancy size.
According to our Yoga therapist, women with vaginal deliveries can start after 2 months and C section moms after 3 months can start Postnatal or postpartum Yoga. Mommies are encouraged to take light walks and also advised to wrap their bellies with postnatal wraps. This not only helps stabilize their stomachs but also supports lower back and boosts confidence.
The key word here is taking it slow. Everything has to be done in a slow and steady pace so as to not shock the body. Care has to be taken while practicing asana and yoga for new moms as the pregnancy hormone Relaxin, which helps in relaxing of joints and thereby allows for widening of hips to facilitate childbirth, is also elevated and will remain so for the next six months or so. This means all of your joints are looser hence less stable.
Read: Preparing childbirth with pre natal yoga
The pushing done during labor makes for a compromised pelvic floor. Shishuasana or child pose asana helps in not only strengthening of the pelvic floor but also provide the hips and the spine with gentle stretching that it needs. One of the major joys of motherhood is tending to the every need of the newborn from breastfeeding to rocking her back to sleep. This results in a tired neck and shoulders to loss of endurance. Gomukhasana and Virabhadrasana not only help build stamina but also provide well needed relief to those tired muscles.
One of the most common physical changes a new mother finds is her protruding belly. There are a lot of asanas and yogas and breathing exercises which go a long way in strengthening your abdominal muscles. But remember, it took nine long months for your stomach to increase, so don’t expect results overnight.
The advantage of postpartum yoga is that it not only boosts your immune system but also improves your posture and balance. Lack of sleep is one of the features of a new mom. Sleep deprivation not only results in depression but also adversely affects the quality of breast milk and decreases your memory and focus. Yoga for mommies not only helps you to focus but also ups the production of serotonin which decreases the chance of postpartum depression. Balancing of wayward hormones and stress can be tackled with various asanas and yogas and breathing exercises. Although, all exercises and post pregnancy yoga should be done under supervision as the wrong type could have an adverse affect on your body and sometimes leads to umbilical hernias.
In conclusion, giving birth is a life changing experience. It is also a body changing experience. Postpartum Yoga may be the last thing on your mind but a few minutes a day practicing it can help you reconnect with your mind and body and help you stay in shape both mentally and physically for the adventure called Parenthood.
Read: Make your pregnancy easier through Reiki
We offer different alternate therapies, so speak to our counselor who will help you create a customised plan
Sandhya (name changed on request) came to me one day with the following symptoms,
When I started taking her case study, it came to light that 8 months back she had gone through a hysterectomy (removal of uterus) after a prolonged issue with her periods being irregular and other associated problems.
These days it is very common for doctors to recommend hysterectomy (removal of uterus). Infact it is one of the most common surgeries for women living in the United States and the instances are increasing in India too.
As per Sandhya, “I was advised to remove my uterus due to prolonged history of irregular periods, cramps, constant fatigue, anger issues and many other symptoms which indicated the necessity of the operation. I underwent the operation and felt like shit as removal of an organ, though internal, felt like a big part of me was missing. And post the operation it was not like I did not have any issues, as it led to other emotional relation issues.
No one really understood what I was going through. As per everyone now that the surgery was done in a few weeks I should have been back to normal. So soon I learnt how to hide my symptoms from everyone at home. I would be on my feet inspite of being bone tired and learnt to cry when alone.”
Also Read: PCOD / PCOS: How to manage it without medicines?
Hysterectomy is one of the many options if you have fibroids, (non cancerous tumors), excessively heavy periods or uterine prolapse (a dropped uterus). Depending on the severity of the issue, the surgery and the extent of the surgery is recommended. However very rarely are the side effects of after effects of the surgery discussed, especially the emotional part of removing an organ from the body.
She came to me when she could no longer sustain herself and felt utterly miserable. Being a Healer/Psychologist, the first thing I explained to her that, “Removal of uterus creates menopause kind of situation in the body, since you can no longer have periods. So I have to treat it like menopause in addition to a missing organ which your body is missing.” I gave her reiki healing for 3 months and it helped her settle down and accept herself as a whole person again.
Also Read: How Endometriosis was Cured through Energy Healing
Reiki in this case was given more for the emotional alignment than other aspects, as that was the need of the hour. Over the months as Sandhya settled down emotionally so did her physical symptoms
If you need more information, or looking for managing periods problems without the side effects of medicine through any healing modality, you can contact us at 8050003237
Healclinic is a wellness platform which offers energy healing therapies like Reiki, Pranic Healing, Theta, Past Life, Inner Child, Family Constellation, Redikal, Graphotherapy, Akashik Records, Tarot Reading, Numerology, Astrology, Chakra Healing, by expert Healers.
Some of the energy healing therapies which we offer are reiki, pranic healing, past life regression, theta healing, redikal healing, family constellation, akashic records reading, astrological healing, inner child healing, hypnotherapy, tarot reading, numerology, astrology and many more. The basic tenet of all these therapies is that the human body is self healing and a person needs to be treated and not the disease.
They work on the cause of an ailment rather than the symptom and are more holistic in nature. It uses body’s own power to heal. These theraies are execllent ways to become aware of why you are facing a particular challenge and start healing from the root cause
