Athena Behavioral Health: February 2023

OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experience recurrent, unwelcome thoughts, ideas, or feelings (obsessions). They feel compelled to perform something repeatedly in order to get rid of the thoughts (compulsions). A person's everyday tasks and social interactions can be seriously hampered by repetitive habits like hand washing/cleaning, checking on things, and mental acts like (counting) or other activities.

For instance, Adam has a strong drive to count the letters of words and names he encountered, therefore none of them had an exact letter count of nine. This was one of his biggest secrets. He'd start to worry that his folks would suffer a terrible fate if it did. This had an impact on his academic achievement because he would frequently become sidetracked while teachers were explaining ideas by counting letters.

You might be wondering what your future holds if you or a loved one has been given an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) diagnosis. You can surely lead a regular and successful life if you have OCD. Treating your OCD necessitates a focus on daily coping rather than an ultimate solution, similar to managing any long term illness.

This entails having a thorough understanding of your condition in real terms. Check your knowledge of the following questions, like the exact symptoms you have , what prevents these symptoms from getting worse and what time of the day the symptoms gets worse and when it gets worse which coping mechanisms are effective for you ?

Being able to respond to these questions is crucial to controlling your OCD and allowing you to focus your time and energy on the activities you actually want to engage in, such as spending time with family, friends, romantic partners, colleagues, students, or hobbies.

For some OCD sufferers, shame lingers in the background all the time. It could be brought on by a particular idea or deed, or it might be more all-encompassing and generic.

OCD can cause feelings of shame in a variety of ways. Through intrusive thoughts is one way. Unwanted and frequently upsetting thoughts that enter your head against your will are called intrusive thoughts. Although they might be about anything, taboo subjects like sex, violence, or religion are frequently discussed in them.

Compulsive actions are another way that this concern can make a person feel ashamed. The recurrent actions you feel forced to perform in order to calm your anxiety are known as compulsive behaviors. They could be physical, like counting or repeating words, or mental (such as washing one's hands).

Take into account by keeping a journal for a few weeks with these concerns in mind if you are unsure of the answers to these queries, by noting it down. This journal should help you have a much clearer grasp of how OCD affects you specifically because OCD is unique for everyone.

You should seek help from a qualified mental health professional if you don't know where to start or feel that OCD has taken over your life. There is no need to suffer when there are excellent treatments available, such as psychotherapy and medication, that are successful for the majority of patients. Most people can use a combination of the two to significantly reduce their symptoms. Never hesitate to seek assistance.

If you have a friend or family member who has OCD, you might be worried about their condition and wondering what you can do to help. It's crucial to keep in mind that many OCD sufferers benefit from treatment and can master effective OCD symptom management with psychotherapy, particularly exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

It's critical to take responsibility for both your own and your loved one's mental health requirements so that you can assist him in improving rather than allowing him to stay where he is or possibly even deteriorate. For such situations reach out to mental health professionals in Gurgaon for the best treatment for Obsessive compulsive disorder. Athena Behavioral Health, a mental health rehabilitation center in Gurgaon where a team of mental health professionals curates a holistic plan for such concerns and the best experience of treatment is the prime goal which entails the trust towards mental health services.

Do you or someone you know struggle with mental health issues? Athena Behavioral Health is here to help. We are a comprehensive mental health practice that offers a full range of services, from individual therapy and group counseling to medication management and crisis intervention. Our team of experienced psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors work together to provide personalized care tailored to each individual's needs. With our evidence-based practices, we can help you or your loved one get back on track and lead a healthier life.

PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)

You may have PTSD symptoms such as a sense of impending danger and distressing recollections. But with new coping mechanisms, you can regain your sense of security and recover from the trauma.

PTSD - What is it ?

It's common to feel scared, unhappy, nervous, and alienated after a stressful event. But if the distress persists, you can have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Any occurrence that causes you to fear for your own safety can result in PTSD. The most common reason of PTSD in men is military warfare, which most people identify with rape or troops who have been in combat. However, any incident, or sequence of events, that leaves you feeling emotionally depleted and overcome with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can cause PTSD—especially if the experience feels unpredictable and out of your control.

Those who witness the terrible occurrence, those who are directly involved in it, or those who help clean up the aftermath, such as first responders and law enforcement officials, can all be affected by PTSD.

When a circumstance causes you to feel excessive stress, PTSD develops. Although the threat has passed, your nervous system is "stuck" at that point and making it difficult for it to return to its regular state of balance and keeping you from getting over the incident. To overcome PTSD and heal from the trauma, you must assist your nervous system in becoming "unstuck" which becomes an important goal to get out of the concern.

Common four important symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD are

Anything or any situation that reminds of the past trauma or that particular situation the person starts avoiding since it numbs the person.
The symptoms of hyperarousal are common which include difficulty falling or staying asleep, impatience, hypervigilance like the person will always be on alert mode, feeling jittery , sudden outbursts of anger which sometimes leads to violence, self-destructive conduct are also seen.
Thinking patterns and mood is affected negatively, such as feeling alone and alienated, having trouble focusing or remembering, being depressed and despairing, feeling betrayed and mistrusted, and feeling guilty, responsible for one's own actions.
Having disturbing recollections, flashbacks, nightmares, or extremely strong emotional or physical responses when the traumatic incident is recalled to mind.

It's critical to get care as soon as possible if you think you could have post-traumatic stress disorder or a loved one might. The easier it is to recover from PTSD, the earlier it is addressed. The only way to overcome PTSD is to face what occurred to you and come to terms with it as a part of your history, so if you're hesitant to get treatment, remember that PTSD is not a sign of weakness. Having a skilled therapist or doctor to provide direction and assistance makes this process much simpler.

For such situations reach out to mental health professionals. For the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder reach out to Athena Behavioral Health Gurgaon, a team of mental health professionals curates a holistic plan for such concerns and the best experience of treatment is the prime goal which entails the trust towards mental health services. Here the team includes experienced and licensed psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric nurses , yoga trainers ,counselors and meditation experts.

Athena Behavioral Health is one of the finest, leading, and best psychiatric center in Delhi gurgaon. We are backed by a team of experienced professionals that offers customized treatment to each patient so as to ensure their fastest recovery. Our state-of-the-art infrastructure and well-furnished office ensure that each of our patients enjoy a comfortable stay at Athena. So, if anyone around you is dealing with any mental health issue or is addicted to any substance, contact Athena Behavioral Health for complete treatment. Want to know more details about our treatment plans and facility? Contact us today at 9289086193 or drop us an email at info@athenabhs.co

Highlights on the Magnitude of Substance use in India

It is a well known fact that many psychoactive substances including alcohol, cannabis, and opioids have been used in India for millennia, there is little information available about the present extent and pattern of this use, as well as the issues it causes.

The Government of India's Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) ordered a National Survey on the Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India in an attempt to fill this gap.

●Indians most frequently use alcohol as a psychoactive substance (among the substances included in this survey).

Between 10 and 75 years old, 14.6% of the population nationwide uses alcohol. In thecountry there are roughly 16 crore alcohol consumers (in terms of absolute numbers) . Men use alcohol at a rate of 27.3% compared to women's usage, only 1.6%.The states with the highest rates of alcohol use include Goa, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Chhattisgarh.

Country liquor, also known as "desi sharab," and spirits, also known as Indian Made Foreign Liquor, are the most popular alcoholic beverages among drinkers (approximately 30% each).

● Cannabis and opioids are the second most popular drugs in India after alcohol.

The authorised form of cannabis (bhang) and other illicit cannabis products were further distinguished in terms of cannabis consumption (ganja and charas). Bhang use was seen to be about 2% (or roughly 2.2 crore people) and illegal cannabis product use to be about 1.2% (or roughly 1.3 crore people). Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi have the highest rates of cannabis consumption per capita.

● Opioids, such as opium (or its derivatives such poppy husk known as doda/phukki), heroin (or its impure form, smack or brown sugar), and a range of pharmaceutical opioids, are used by about 2.1% of the country's population, or 2.26 crore people. Opioids used most frequently in the country are heroin (1.14%), prescription opioids (0.96%), and opium (0.52%). The states with the highest frequency of opioid use in the general population (more than 10%) are Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram.

The recent survey's finding that heroin usage is far more common in India than opium use is noteworthy when it comes to opioids.

●The only substance category for which children and adolescents are more likely than adults to report current usage (1.17% vs. 0.58% total prevalence) is inhalants (0.7%).

● In India, a wide range of pharmacological medications are used, all of which have the characteristics of being sedative-hypnotics and having a high potential for addiction. Many of these items have valid and significant medical uses.

Around 1.18 crore persons in India, or 1.08% of the population, currently take

sedatives. The use of sedatives is more prevalent in some Indian states than others, is the case with other drugs. The three states with the highest rates of current sedative usage are Mizoram (3.8%), Nagaland (5.4%), and Sikkim (8.6%). However, the top five states with the highest sedative use rates are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

●Male users of cocaine are estimated to make up 0.18% of Indians, while female users make up 0.01%. This translates to around 10.7 lakh current

cocaine users in the nation. The percentage of people who use cocaine in a dangerous and dependent manner is likewise quite low (0.03%). Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Karnataka are states with significant numbers of active cocaine users.

● A small percentage of Indians also use Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS), same to how they do cocaine. The prevalence in the general population is 0.18%. (i.e. about 19.4 lakh individuals). On a national level, it is estimated that 7 lakh people (or slightly under 0.06%) use ATS in a detrimental or dependent manner. Maharashtra , Telangana (2.4 lakh), Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur are states with significant populations of ATS users. There arealso an estimated 50,000 ATS users in Delhi.

● 3.4 lakh Indians, or around 0.03% of the population, require assistance due to their dangerous or compulsive use of hallucinogens.

The states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Kerala, and Delhi have significant populations of users of hallucinogens.

Treatment

2.6% of all alcohol-dependent adults who attempted to quit reported obtaining any support or treatment, or roughly 25% of those who tried to quit. Spiritual / religious

help was the most common type of assistance among those who received assistance or treatment (33%) and was followed by a "government doctor or health facility" (25%). Only 21% of those who received any kind of assistance or treatment said they had been admitted to the hospital due to alcohol use problems.

The same pattern can be seen in people who depend on illegal narcotics. Around 44% of individuals who struggled with drug addiction said they had tried to stop using drugs; of these, about 25% (or roughly 12% of all drug users) said they had ever

sought help or therapy. For 40% of individuals who had received care, a government hospital was the most frequent source.

Athena Behavioral Health is the leading provider of best de addiction centres in Delhi . We offer affordable, high-quality treatment for patients with a wide range of behavioral health issues including: depression, anxiety, addiction , drug abuse, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and more. It delivers high quality, effective behavioral health care that improves the lives of people who suffer from mental illness, drug addiction or both.

PTSD Can Affect Both Psychologically and Physically

PTSD stands for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and is a common mental health condition, and is also referred to as “shell shock” or “combat fatigue”. However, PTSD is not just limited to veterans of the war and occurs to people anywhere across the globe who have faced or witnessed a traumatic event.

The psychological symptoms of PTSD are more known such as nightmares. However, PTSD also manifests physically and can cause symptoms like nausea and chronic pain. This article covers everything you need to know about the psychological and physical symptoms of PTSD. Read on!

PTSD can affect both psychologically and physically

What is PTSD?

PTSD is a prevalent mental health illness that can develop as a result of trauma. Trauma is any terrifying or upsetting incident that makes you feel as though your safety or the safety of others is in danger. Trauma may be anything that occurs to you or to someone you know. It can also include anything you see in the news, on the internet, or in your town.

It is important to know that PTSD is not a sign of weakness and it’s a genuine mental health condition that can be treated. You or a loved one can start to feel better with the assistance of a mental health expert.

Common psychological symptoms of PTSD

The following are the most common psychological symptoms of PTSD:

Re-experiencing the event: People suffering from PTSD continuously experience the incident through their thoughts and recollections of the trauma. These could consist of nightmares, hallucinations, and at times flashbacks. When specific things, such as the date of the incident, trigger strong memories of the trauma, they may also experience severe discomfort.

Heightened Arousal: This entails excessive emotions, issues with interpersonal relationships, such as having trouble experiencing or expressing affection, sleep issues, irritability, explosive rage, difficulties focusing, and being "jumpy" or quickly startled.

Avoidance: To prevent being reminded of the trauma, the individual may avoid certain persons, places, things, or circumstances. This could culminate in the person feeling distant and alone from their loved ones, as well as losing interest in past activities which they liked.

Negative Mood: This entails pessimistic views about yourself, other individuals or the world, feelings of hopelessness about the future, feeling numb, difficulties in feeling positive emotions, and certain memory problems.

Common physical symptoms of PTSD

In addition to the psychological symptoms, patients may also experience physical symptoms which include:

● Muscle tension

● Joint pain

● Headaches

● Fast heartbeat

● Fatigue

● Nausea

● Back pain

Physical symptoms of PTSD are more prevalent in people who also have other mental health disorders like depression or anxiety.

What is the link between trauma and physical health problems?

Although scientists do not fully understand why trauma creates physical issues, we do know that the human body responds physically to a threat. The term "fight-or-flight" response is used to describe this physiological response.

When your body is in "fight-or-flight" mode, chemicals and hormones are released that "prepare" your body to react to a threatening circumstance by either fighting or fleeing.

Your body uses the fight-or-flight reaction to defend itself. However, a constant state of fight-or-flight can be unhealthy for your bodily systems and lead to health issues. This could be the cause of the link between PTSD and other medical disorders.

Risk Factors and Causes of PTSD

Everyone responds differently to distressing events. The ability to manage stress, anxiety and the threat posed by a traumatic event or condition varies from person to person. As a result, not every person who suffers trauma develops PTSD. After a traumatic event, a person's propensity to acquire PTSD or the severity of their symptoms may be influenced by the level of care and support they receive from their immediate support system.

Risk Factors which heighten the chance of developing PTSD are:

● Traumatising past events, such as child abuse

● Working in a profession that puts you at an increased risk of experiencing trauma (such as military personnel or first responders)

● Having issues with drug misuse

● Lacking a reliable social support system

Way Forward

Traumatic experiences can sometimes leave people with overpowering thoughts and feelings that impair their capacity to function. In other instances, harmful behaviours that at first served to reduce the symptoms of trauma develop into dangerous routines. There are new therapies out there that can help trauma survivors and their families. Conventional therapy can also aid in bridging the gap between suffering and development.

Athena Behavioral Health is a leading Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre. Our skilled doctors provide thorough treatment plans that are individualised for each patient and include cutting-edge, traditional, and holistic therapies. As the best Mental Rehabilitation Centre in India, our programmes offer expert treatment and care to promote healthy acclimatisation to life's events. Our continual continuing care programme offers patients the assistance they need to be symptom-free and experience long-lasting healing. You can WhatsApp us at 9289086193 to learn more about our specialised PTSD treatment programmes.

Reasons To Go For De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon

Recovering from addiction is a long process. While some may find it scary to go to a rehab facility, some might even be reluctant to admit that they are addicted to any form of substance. This is because of their fear of being admitted to a Mental Hospital Gurgaon or a facility that offers De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon. But it is important for them to understand that acknowledging their addiction to a substance would only ease their path to recovery as they can actively participate in their treatment process, without any fear. There are multiple other reasons why one should opt for De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon. A few of these are as mentioned below:

1. Improved Relationships

When a person is addicted to any form of substance, it leads to broken relationships, trust, emotions, and sentiments. Therefore, undergoing De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon at a rehab facility can help one improve their relationships with their loved ones. The rehab facilities in Gurgaon make use of various therapies such as family therapy to speed up the process of recovery as well as improve relationships between friends and family members.

2. Better Physical Health

W When one opts for a De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon, it is very likely for him/her to experience several physical health benefits. Since abusing any form of substance leads to dangerous effects on an individual’s physical as well as mental health, abstaining from these substances can help one’s body to recover from these damages as well as experience an improvement in their overall health.

3. Nurture Confidence

Addiction to any form of substance tends to lower one’s confidence and cultivate negative feelings in an individual. Self-doubt and anxiety are other emotions that are likely to hit an individual’s confidence. Therefore, when one chooses to undergo De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon, he/she is safeguarded from the risk of being sent to a Mental Hospital Gurgaon. Also, this helps in cultivating the feelings of self-worth and raising his/her overall confidence level.

4. Improved Financial Condition

Abusing a substance is very likely to cause a strain on an individual’s financial status. This is majorly because he/she begins to keep substance abuse above everything else. Therefore, when he/she opts for a De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon, he/she is very likely to recover from his/her financial troubles and gradually attain back his/her stature.

5. Improved Work Productivity

When abusing a substance, work becomes secondary for the person abusing the substance. He/she begins to keep substance abuse above everything else. This, in turn, puts his/her job at risk as he/she is very likely to perform less at work. Therefore, when he/she opts to go for a De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon, he/she may attain sobriety and begin delivering a promising performance at job.

Road to Recovery

In case there’s someone you know who is affected by any form of mental illness or is addicted to any form of substance, Athena Behavioral Health can help.

Athena Behavioral Health is one of the finest, leading, and best rehabs offering customized De addiction Treatment in Gurgaon. We are backed by a team of experienced professionals that offers customized treatment to each patient to ensure their fastest recovery. Our state-of-the-art infrastructure and well-furnished office help us ensure that each of our patients enjoy a comfortable stay at Athena. So, if anyone around you is dealing with any mental health issue or is addicted to any substance, contact Athena Behavioral Health for complete treatment. Want to know complete details about our treatment plans and facility? Contact us 9289086193 today at or drop us an email at info@athenabhs.com

Here’s How You Can Help Your Child Overcome Digital Addiction

Gone are the days when people used to enjoy slow exchange of information using STD, ISD, or landlines. With the advent of technology, people have become increasingly dependent on smart devices and gadgets. Certainly, there’s no harm in having speedy exchange of messages until it begins to occupy a major chunk of an individual’s day and life.

Apart from other forms of addiction, digital addiction is one such form of addiction that has affected kids globally at a fast pace. Spending most of their time in using smartphones, tablets, playing video games, and watching television, kids have started to ignore their health completely. However, these devices are innocuous till they are used in a certain limit but can lead to digital addiction when used excessively.

Some of the common symptoms of identify the presence of digital addiction in your child are:

· Compromise on sleeping hours to stay online.
· Getting angry when online time is interrupted.
· Reduced interest in other activities once enjoyed.
· Poor performance at school.
· Lies about the time spent online.
· Developing signs of depression.
· Increased mood swings.

To help your child overcome digital addiction, parents and caregivers can take some simple steps. Some of these are as mentioned below:

1. Engage in Physical Activities

Try to engage your child in physical activities and outdoor games. This would not only help them to socialize more but can also prove to be a great way to reduce their risk of developing digital addiction. They will also get a chance to interact with the real-world instead of wasting their time on smartphones and playing video games.

2. Help Them Fight Away FOMO

The fear of missing out (FOMO) has made children develop a fear of missing out on connection with the real world. But it is the responsibility of parents and teachers to help these kids understand that it is just a term and is not the only way to connect with the real world. Inspire these kids to engage themselves in reading books/newspapers/magazines or listen to their favorite podcasts to improve their concentration level and communication skills.

3. Set Limit on Screen Time

Establish clear boundaries on the amount of time they can spend using smart devices. Also, establish rules regarding the places where they can’t use these devices such as while having meals or right before going to bed. Setting such limits and using parental control on restricting the usage of these devices can also help in ensuring that the child stays away from watching any sort of inappropriate content.

4. Use Reward Techniques

Use reward technique to inspire your child to adopt healthy behavior. For instance, tell them that they will go for a vacation if they don’t use the mobile phone for a week. They will get a surprise gift next week if they limit their screen time to only one hour per day. Using tricks like these work wonder to keep the child away from digital gadgets.

5. Educate Your Kids About Digital Addiction

Educate your kids about the risks associated with digital addiction and the ways it can harm their mental as well as physical health. Let them know the possible impacts it can have on an individual’s relationships (including them) as well as his/her health to inspire them to use these gadgets in a healthy limit.

Cure For Digital Addiction

If none of these tricks work for your child, it is possible that digital addiction has already hit your child and has, in fact, crossed its limits. In case, there’s someone you know who is addicted to any digital gadget or his/her child is and is looking for a facility offering treatment for digital addiction, Athena Behavioral Health can help.

Athena Behavioral Health is one of the leading mental health and addiction treatment centers in Gurgaon. Holding years of experience in treating individuals for various forms of mental illnesses and substance addiction, Athena takes pride in its team of professional experts who hold expertise in this domain. They make sure that the best customized treatment is provided to each patient to ensure their speedy recovery. So, if anyone around you is addicted to any form of substance or is dealing with any mental health issue, contact Athena Behavioral Health for complete treatment. Interested to know more details about our treatment plans and facility? Contact us today at 9289086193 or drop us an email at info@athenabhs.com

Athena Behavioral Health