Students and Stress

by Dr.Kumarshri Shriniwas Saraswat at 26.Oct.2015 on Emotional and Mental Health 

Abstract:

The recent epidemic of student suicides is not only disheartening and unfortunate but also happens to represent the tip of the iceberg of a highly prevalent and often neglected phenomenon namely ‘student stress’.

Dr.Kumarshri Shriniwas Saraswat

Sexologist, Psychologist Counsellor, Psychiatrist

Here is a brief summary of the various factors that perpetuate student stress and what each one can do in alleviating it.

For Students:

• Before or during any examination, quite a few students tend to think around these - “What all is at stake in these exams? What if I fare badly in them? What if my friends get more marks than me? How will my parents and teachers react to my poor performance?”

• This is exactly the kind of negative thinking that creates stress and in fact hinders performance rather than enhancing it by adversely affecting concentration.

• The trick to get out of this trap is to realize that thinking about negative consequences beforehand is not going to do you any good. In fact it is best not to think about any consequences at all, and rather concentrate all your energy on preparing for your performance.

• Realize that a poor performance is undesirable but it is no way a marker of your failure in life and certainly not the end of the world.

• If you fare badly as compared to your friends, it means that your current study technique is not very effective and you can either devise a better one yourself or with someone’s help. It does not signify that you are in any ways inferior to anyone. However, if you are harboring any such feelings of inferiority, you need to communicate it with elders before you develop any symptoms of the so called ‘inferiority complex’.

For Parents:

• Accept the child for what he/she is and not for what he is going to achieve.

• When a child is not performing well, he is in a greater need for support, words ofencouragement and some morale boosting.

• Instead, quite often he becomes the receiving end of harsh criticism for his performance which could potentially cause a nervous breakdown and increase the distance between you and your child.

• Do not relate your ward’s academic performance to your personal success or failure. Tying your ego with it is highly irrational and will only bring you and your child misery in the long run. Try to maintain a detached but cooperative attitude in this matter.

• Do not compare him with any of his classmates or your friend’s children. This makes children feel insecure, vulnerable to stress and inculcates feelings of inferiority.

• You know that you love your child a lot but let him know that once in a while as well.

• Keep the communication channel between you and your child wide open by means of which he/she can express their feelings to you.

For Teachers:

• A teacher is usually best placed to pick out a depressed child because he can compare the child’s current behavior with others as well as with his past behavior under similar circumstances.

• Instances like recent irregularities in attending or completing school work, crying easily in school, inability to pay attention in class, fearing exams could be a marker of childhood depression and warrant their communication with the child’s parents and evaluation if needed.

It is a sad fact that while a lot of schooling stresses on academics, there are so many professions where it is not your academic excellence but qualities like creativity, social skills, technical expertize or business acumen that matters. These, unfortunately are not reflected in any examination results.

Timely treatment can prevent long term and ghastly complications from occurring. If needed, do not shy away in taking professional help from a child psychiatry specialist online -->  https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/psychiatrist/child-psychiatry

Be kind to everyone you deal with as................

Do not argue with brainless

Teen Depression,,,,,,courtesy ..National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): www.nimh.nih.gov.

Alok adds: I got shock of my life and went in depression. I diagnosed my depression as I used to read on health and mental health on the net. I on my own went to a psychiatrist. And Lo! I felt normal in fortnights or so. Pl. note that untreated depression leads to serious mental health problem in time to come. Manage it well at the first realisation. If similar circumstances prevail the same may relapse. family and society must try to avoid repeating the same incidence which may trigger depression again. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression/index.shtml




http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression/index.shtml

Introduction

You are not alone.

There are ways you can feel better.

If you have been feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable for what seems like a long time, you might have depression.

• Depression is a real, treatable brain illness, or health problem.
• Depression can be caused by big transitions in life, stress, or changes in your body’s chemicals that affect your thoughts and moods.
• Even if you feel hopeless, depression gets better with treatment.
• There are lots of people who understand and want to help you.
• Ask for help as early as you can so you can get back to being yourself.

Regular sadness and depression are not the same

Regular sadness

Feeling moody, sad, or grouchy? Who doesn’t once in a while? It’s easy to have a couple of bad days. Your schoolwork, activities, and family and friend drama, all mixed with not enough sleep, can leave you feeling overwhelmed. On top of that, teen hormones can be all over the place and also make you moody or cry about the smallest thing. Regular moodiness and sadness usually go away quickly though, within a couple of days.

Depression

Untreated depression is a more intense feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and anger or frustration that lasts much longer, such as for weeks, months, or longer. These feelings make it hard for you to function as you normally would or participate in your usual activities. You may also have trouble focusing and feel like you have little to no motivation or energy. You may not even feel like seeing your best friends. Depression can make you feel like it is hard to enjoy life or even get through the day.

Know the signs and symptoms of depression

Most of the day or nearly every day you may feel one or all of the following:

• Sad
• Empty
• Hopeless
• Angry, cranky, or frustrated, even at minor things

You also may:

• Not care about things or activities you used to enjoy.
• Have weight loss when you are not dieting or weight gain from eating too much.
• Have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or sleep much more than usual.
• Move or talk more slowly.
• Feel restless or have trouble sitting still.
• Feel very tired or like you have no energy.
• Feel worthless or very guilty.
• Have trouble concentrating, remembering information, or making decisions.
• Think about dying or suicide or try suicide.

Not everyone experiences depression the same way. And depression can occur at the same time as other mental health problems, such as anxiety, an eating disorder, or substance abuse.

If you think you are depressed, ask for help as early as you can

1. Talk to:

• Your parents or guardian
• Your teacher or counselor
• Your doctor
• A helpline, such as 1-800-273-TALK (8255), free 24-hour help
• Or call 911 if you are in a crisis or want to hurt yourself.

2. Ask your parent or guardian to make an appointment with your doctor for a checkup. Your doctor can make sure that you do not have another health problem that is causing your depression. If your doctor finds that you do not have another health problem, he or she can treat your depression or refer you to a mental health professional. A mental health professional can give you a thorough evaluation and also treat your depression.

3. Talk to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, counselor, psychologist, or other therapist. These mental health professionals can diagnose and treat depression and other mental health problems.

There are ways you can feel better

Effective treatments for depression include talk therapy or a combination of talk therapy and medicine.

Talk therapy

A therapist, such as a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a social worker, or counselor can help you understand and manage your moods and feelings. You can talk out your emotions to someone who understands and supports you. You can also learn how to stop thinking negatively and start to look at the positives in life. This will help you build confidence and feel better about yourself. Research has shown that certain types of talk therapy or psychotherapy can help teens deal with depression. These include cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on thoughts, behaviors, and feelings related to depression, and interpersonal psychotherapy, which focuses on working on relationships.

Read more about talk therapies atwww.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies.

Medicines

If your doctor thinks you need medicine to help your depression, he or she can prescribe an antidepressant. There are a few antidepressants that have been widely studied and proven to help teens. If your doctor recommends medicine, it is important to see your doctor regularly and tell your parents or guardian about your feelings, especially if you start feeling worse or have thoughts of hurting yourself.

Read more about medicines for depression at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/mental-health-medications.

Be good to yourself

Besides seeing a doctor and a counselor, you can also help your depression by being patient with yourself and good to yourself. Don’t expect to get better immediately, but you will feel yourself improving gradually over time.

• Daily exercise, getting enough sleep, spending time outside in nature and in the sun, or eating healthy foods can also help you feel better.
• Your counselor may teach you how to be aware of your feelings and teach you relaxation techniques. Use these when you start feeling down or upset.
• Try to spend time with supportive family members. Talking with your parents, guardian, or other family members who listen and care about you gives you support and they can make you laugh.
• Try to get out with friends and try fun things that help you express yourself.

Depression can affect relationships

It’s understandable that you don’t want to tell other people that you have been struggling with depression. But know that depression can affect your relationships with family and friends, and how you perform at school. Maybe your grades have dropped because you find it hard to concentrate and stay on top of school. Teachers may think that you aren’t trying in class. Maybe because you’re feeling hopeless, peers think you are too negative and start giving you a hard time.

Know that their misunderstanding won’t last forever because you are getting better with treatment. Think about talking with people you trust to help them understand what you are going through.

Depression is not your fault or caused by something you did wrong

Depression is a real, treatable brain illness, or health problem. Depression can be caused by big transitions in life, stress, or changes in your body’s chemicals that affect your thoughts and moods. Depression can run in families. Maybe you haven’t realized that you have depression and have been blaming yourself for being negative. Remember that depression is not your fault!

Learn more

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): www.nimh.nih.gov.

NIDA for Teens, Drugs & Health: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), free 24-hour help

Increasing aerobic fitness by 18%, got a 15% increase in "cognitive function"

The benefits of exercise in "schizophrenia"

Sat Apr 11, 2015 8:03 am . Posted by:

"rochelle9@gmail.com" dr_rsuri

Dear Colleagues,

Here's a study worth looking at:

Increasing aerobic fitness by 18%, got a 15% increase in "cognitive
function" - to me, this finding strongly suggests that cognitive deficits
are more about just being immobilized, rather than being due to any kind of
"illness."

I found the study fascinating, and thought some of you may be interested in
it, too.

Warmly,

Dr. Rochelle Suri, PhD, MFT

http://newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/blog/2015/03/25/aerobic-exercise-improves-cognitive-functioning-in-individuals-with-schizophrenia/

*Aerobic Exercise Improves Cognitive Functioning In Individuals with
Schizophrenia*

New York, NY (March 23, 2015) – Aerobic exercise training program improved
cognitive functioning in people with schizophrenia, in a study published
online in *Schizophrenia Bulletin* on March 24. Cognitive deficits such as
difficulties in attention, memory, and planning have been identified as
major predictors of daily dysfunction and disability in people with
schizophrenia, and available medications and cognitive remediation
treatments offer only limited benefits.

The proof-of-concept study, conducted at Columbia University Medical
Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, randomized 33 patients to
receive standard psychiatric treatment or attend a 12-week aerobic exercise
(AE) training program using active-play video games (Xbox 360 Kinect) and
traditional exercise equipment, along with standard psychiatric treatment.
The patients who received AE improved their aerobic fitness by 18.0 percent
in contrast to a -0.5 percent decline in the patients who received standard
psychiatric treatment. Cognitive function improved by 15.1 percent in the
AE training group in contrast to a -2.0 percent decline in the standard
treatment group.

Lead author David Kimhy, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of
Psychiatry and director of the Experimental Psychopathology Lab at the New
York State Psychiatric Institute, said “Our results indicate that poor
aerobic fitness represents a modifiable risk factor for cognitive
dysfunction in people with schizophrenia, for which aerobic exercise
training offers a safe, non-stigmatizing, and side-effect-free
intervention.”

The study team also identified brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a
protein in the brain that increases with physical activity, “as a potential
mechanism underlying such cognitive improvements.”

Dr. Kimhy added, “If replicated, our findings may lead to the integration
of aerobic exercise into standard psychiatric treatment for people with
schizophrenia and other severe mental health problems. Thus, in addition to
its well-documented cardiovascular, weight-management, and other physical
health benefits, aerobic exercise training offers the potential to
ameliorate cognitive difficulties in individuals with schizophrenia.”

The title of the paper is “The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Brain-Derived
Neurotrophic Factor and Neurocognition in Individuals with Schizophrenia: A
Single-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial.”

The other contributors are Ms. Julia Vakhrusheva, Dr. Matthew Bartels, Ms.
Hilary Armstrong, Dr. Jacob Ballon, Ms. Samira Khan, Ms. Rachel Chang, Ms.
Marie Hansen, Ms. Lindsey Ayanruoh, Ms. Amanda Lister, Dr. Eero Castrén,
Dr. Edward Smith, and Dr. Richard Sloan.

The study was funded by The National Institute of Mental Health grant
1R21MH096132
<http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=8228389&icde=24005992&ddparam=&ddvalue=&ddsub=&cr=1&csb=default&cs=ASC>
(Dr. Kimhy).

Dr. Ballon has received investigator-initiated research funding from
Novartis relating to another project. Dr. Castrén is an advisor of Herantis
Pharma. The other authors report no financial or other conflicts of
interest.

*Columbia University Department of Psychiatry and New York State
Psychiatric Institute (Columbia Psychiatry/NYSPI) *New York State
Psychiatric Institute (founded in 1896) and the Columbia University
Department of Psychiatry have been closely affiliated since 1925. Their
co-location in a New York State facility on the
NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center campus provides the
setting for a rich and productive collaborative relationship among
scientists and physicians in a variety of disciplines. Columbia
Psychiatry/NYSPI are ranked among the best departments and psychiatric
research facilities in the nation and have contributed greatly to the
understanding of and current treatment for psychiatric disorders. The
Department and Institute are home to distinguished clinicians and
researchers noted for their clinical and research advances in the diagnosis
and treatment of depression, suicide, schizophrenia, bipolar and anxiety
disorders and childhood psychiatric disorders. Their combined expertise
provides state of the art clinical care for patients, and training for the
next generation of psychiatrists and psychiatric researchers.

Visit http://nyspi.org and http://columbiapsychiatry.org/ for more
information.