Tell Me How You Feel

When considering the various components of mental health, it’s easy to overlook the impact of counselling. Yet, counselling is essential to the ongoing pursuit of harmony within the lives of many individuals and can serve as an invaluable resource for helping to build a more positively-lived existence. The importance of counselling cannot be underestimated, as it plays a vital role in helping people work through personal, psychological, and relationship issues.

Counselling involves the exploration of deeply-held beliefs and attitudes as well as addressing related behavioral patterns. It offers the opportunity to understand how personal thought processes influence personal healing. On a communal level, it also affects overall psychological health, by providing the space to explore values, dynamics, and interactions with others. Meaning, by engaging in counselling, an individual can begin to recognize and work to rectify subjectively-biased tendencies.

Without counselling, issues such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks too often remain unresolved. Ignoring psychological pain, rather than engaging with and understanding it, only allows the problem to create a deeper rift in the individual’s life. With the help of a trained counselor, a person can be safely guided into a space of contemplation and self-discovery. This serves to not only explain why the person might be experiencing distress, but also how to effectively manage the struggles and issues presented.

Moreover, if two or more individuals are involved in the counselling process, the value of counselling is even more pronounced. Family counselling, for instance, can be utilized to address, process, and establish tools for resolution. This type of intervention helps to teach the parties involved to understand how to better manage their own emotions, while teaching them to be more adaptive to the needs of those around them. Particularly this can be especially beneficial in situations of conflict, providing guidance to those who feel like they are walking blindly through life.

Generally, counselling can play an important role in forming and maintaining healthy relationships, both within the family dynamic as well as with other important people in a person’s life. By engaging in counselling sessions, the individual can gain a better understanding of themselves and begin to comprehend why they react the way they do to certain individuals and situations. This leads to the development of better communication skills and techniques, which are essential to help in creating healthier interpersonal connections.

Overall, the importance of counselling cannot be ignored. It is a useful and powerful asset in aiding and supporting an individual’s emotional health. By focusing on this basic element of life, individuals are better able to address and manage any latent inner turmoil. That said, the experiences gained from in counselling can bring about significant transformation and an improved sense of wellbeing that will benefit the individual in all areas of life.

When it comes to physical inactivity, people usually mistake it for being sedentary. Someone who is sedentary means remaining in one position for a long time.

While being physically inactive means when someone is not doing sufficient physical activity.

Hence, the person is not meeting the required guidelines for a healthy workout.

There is no harm in being sedentary, however, a physically inactive person is at risk of coming down with some physical, mental, and psychological consequences if care is not taken.  

One of the major effects of being physically inactive is, that it increases the chances of circulatory diseases.

When someone is physically inactive, it can induce the buildup of fatty materials in the arteries.

If the arteries that take the blood to your heart become clogged and damaged, it can cause a heart attack. If it happens in the arteries, it can cause a stroke. To step down the risk of happening, you need to get more physically active.

The heart is a muscle that needs proper physical activity to function properly.

When you are physically active, the lungs work better by supplying oxygen into the blood so that it can be circulated to all the body cells and tissues.

With regular physical activity, you can control your blood pressure, to keep it at healthy levels. More so, it reduces the bad cholesterol level and increases the good cholesterol level.

Additionally, regular physical activity can reduce the chances of Type 2 diabetes by controlling your blood glucose levels.

To reduce the chances of being physically inactive, you need to put some measures in place like going to the gym or working out at home.

According to a good rule of thumb, it is advised to perform a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This can be distributed into 3-4 days a week.

Apart from reducing the physical health consequences of not being physically active, you can get your body into great shape when you become used to working out.

Addiction can be defined as a disease that negatively affects your brain. When addiction is in play, there is an intense urge to keep performing the habit even when the adverse signs are there.

Generally, addiction is divided into two categories: Behavioral and Substance addiction.

Behavioral addiction

Behavioral addiction is a disorder where an individual is addicted to some habits that come with unpleasant consequences.

Examples of behavioral addiction are sex addiction, video gaming addiction, gambling addiction, shopping addiction, etc.  

When someone is addicted to any of these addiction types, they are likely to approach them with the highest priority.

This means that they may not be productive in other areas of their lives because of the recurring addiction. Most times, the signs of behavioral addiction are mental, emotional, and psychological.

Substance addiction

Substance addiction is the opposite of behavioral addiction. It is an addiction type where an individual is addicted to drugs and alcohol.

When individuals are addicted to these substances, you will be able to tell easily from the physical symptoms.

However, this doesn’t understate the fact that they will still experience mental, psychological, and emotional effects.

Steps in addiction treatment

When it comes to addiction treatment, it is quite similar to behavioral and substance addiction.

The first step of addiction treatment for substance addiction is detoxification. And this is because toxins buildup as a result of drugs and alcohol, need to be removed.

Hence, detoxification is peculiar to substance addiction. The next stage is counseling, which applies to behavioral and substance addiction.

Counseling helps the individual to uncover the root cause of their addiction, which would make it easier to create a treatment plan.

Additionally, the individual learns some coping strategies that will make them fight off addiction cravings and triggers.

After the counseling stage, the next is inpatient or outpatient treatment, where the patient either stays within the treatment facility or goes from their location respectively.

The last stage is aftercare treatment which is a post-recovery phase. This is where the individual builds upon the knowledge and skills they have when it comes to evading addiction cravings and triggers.

The rape culture is an atmosphere or environment where rape thrives and sexual violence against women particularly, is prevalent.

If you observe closely, the sexual violence on the media is termed as normal and men do not really care about the consequences. All they are after is having their way, and providing themselves with pleasure.

Rape culture is carried out by the use of perverted words, the visualization of women as sexual objects, and the promotion of sexual violence. This creates a society that does not care about the rights and safety of women.

Every woman is affected by rape culture, and when a woman or a girl is raped, it affects all women, and creates terror in their hearts.

A good number of women and girls do not live in confidence anymore, rather they live in fear because they do not know who is next. While men do not live in fear, because there are few cases of men being raped.

To fight against the rape culture, the change has to be from men. Young boys need to be told that girls are to be seen as their partner in progress and not a sex object.

Girls need to be respected as human beings and not some objects that bring pleasure. This would go a long way in reforming the minds of young boys who are growing up.

Also, sexually explicit jokes should be brought to the barest minimum and stopped abruptly. Any form of sexual harassment should be stopped because if it thrives, there is a tendency that it would result in rape in the end.

In addition, womanhood should not be seen as the sexually passive and submissive, and manhood should not be seen as the sexually aggressive and dominant. This goes a long way in stopping the rape culture.

It is important for more communities and volunteer groups to rise up and educate people on the sexual violence against women. It is a movement that should operate on a continuum till it dies out.

Malnutrition is either the excess availability or under-availability of some nutrients. Malnutrition can cause chronic health problems like heart disease, eye problem, stunted growth and a host of others.

Based on studies, it is known that malnutrition affects many people globally. For some countries, malnutrition is prevalent while it is on a low ebb in other countries.

When under-nutrition is in play, it implies that the individual is not getting enough micronutrients, protein or calories. So, symptoms like stunted growth, underweight and others are likely to occur.

For over-nutrition, it implies that some nutrients are taken in excess and it results in obesity or overweight. Individuals who are under-nourished have deficiencies in vitamins like Vitamin A, and minerals like Zinc and iodine. And the same thing applies with over-nutrition.

An individual can be overweight from too much consumption of calories. And foods that contribute to over-nutrition are fried foods, and foods that have a high sugar and fat content.

The causes of malnutrition stems from medical, economic and environmental conditions.

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One of the common causes is food insecurity, which is a condition whereby there is no ample access to affordable and sufficient food. And this is a problem that is common in developing nations, and fewer incidences in developed countries.

Digestive problems, excessive alcohol consumption, mental health problems and amongst others are the reasons why malnutrition exists.

In order to help prevent and treat malnutrition, it is important to address the underlying causes and this is the role of independent organizations, Government agencies and schools.

There is a huge need to educate people on the numerous benefits of eating healthy and the disadvantages of not eating healthy.

If you think you are malnourished or you know someone who is, it is best to reach out to a healthcare provider to assist. Malnourishment is not a good condition for the body, because the health and wellness of the individual is at stake. For a good and healthy lifestyle, it is important to stick to a great diet plan.

Mental illness is also referred to as mental health disorder, and it is known to be a broad range of mental health disorders which adversely affects your mood, thoughts pattern and your behaviour as well.

A good number of people are usually down with mental health concerns, but they usually have no idea what it is all about exactly. However, mental health concerns transcend to being mental illness when the signs induce regular stress, and the ability to function properly.

Coming down with mental illness has the capacity to make someone miserable, and could introduce problems in the regular life of an individual. It could also cause problems in relationships, financial status, career and a host of others.

The sign and symptoms which are associated with mental illness are quite a number and they vary across individuals who are down with them.

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First off, one of the commonest signs of someone who is down with mental illness is, the individual would always feel sad or down. Usually, the person would be left to himself or herself and would always wear a long face. A good number of times, if further enquiries are made, you would discover that the reason for their being sad is actually not too serious.

Also, the person would find it hard to think properly; the ability to concentrate would be greatly reduced, and such person would be prone to making mistakes because he cannot properly direct his thoughts.

In addition to this, the person is also likely to experience unnecessary anxiety and fears, sometimes the individual would express feelings of guilt. Other times, the person would have frequent mood swings.

Someone who is down with mental illness would not be able to cope with the problems and stress which comes with the everyday life. There are also some physical signs which are associated with mental illness. Headaches, back pain, stomach ache and the likes could be experienced as well.

It is advised that someone who is down with mental illness should promptly see a healthcare professional, as it is hard for someone to undergo self-medication or self-treatment when it comes to mental illness treatment.

Domestic violence requires the help of a number of services to eliminate it, not the least of which is counseling. Other necessary services may include intervention, shelter and law enforcement. Counseling is necessary to end the cycle of domestic violence because it is psychological as much as it is physical. Everyone is aware of the physical effects of domestic violence – the bruises, cuts and other injuries that are inflicted, but many people do not understand the severe psychological injuries that accompany domestic violence. Both types of abuse are seriously detrimental and warrant counseling.

The physical side of domestic violence is well observed and obvious. A large majority of domestic violence cases are men inflicting violence upon women they are in romantic relationships with, but domestic violence can also be between various family members and can even involve women inflicting violence upon men they are in romantic relationships with. Typically, the violence is observed by family members, friends and neighbors because signs of the violence are visible or audible. Obviously, it is urgent that the domestic violence victim receive counseling to help them leave the situation before any more physical harm can be done to them. It is not uncommon for domestic violence victims to be killed by their abuser.

The psychological side of domestic violence, however, is not as easy to detect but it plays a huge role in the damage done to a person. Domestic violence creates a fearful environment for the victim. The abuser is aware of this and uses the fear they instill in their victim to control them. The victim begins to feel very small, powerless and insignificant, as well as afraid to assert themselves in anyway. This psychological torture that domestic violence puts a person through leaves a scarring mental impact. It can take a great deal of counseling to restore a domestic violence victim’s sense of self worth. Counseling is very important in this situation to prevent a domestic violence victim from becoming a victim again.

The importance of counseling for traumatic events cannot be overstated. Trauma is something that can rearrange a person’s entire psyche if they do not process it properly. Trauma commonly comes in the form of witnessing death or being subjected to violence, but trauma can have many faces. It is also relative to each person. What is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another. Regardless of the type of trauma, it is very important that anyone who goes through trauma receives counseling to properly process their ordeal and cope with it in a healthy manner.

When trauma occurs, a person who does not receive counseling or fully adequate support will not be totally healthy from that point on. Trauma effects everyone in a slightly different manner, but there are some things about the effects of trauma that are consistent and predictable. A traumatic event becomes a memory burned into a person’s brain. It replays over and over in vivid detail, making the individual relive it repeatedly. Everyone plagued by trauma claims this experience and expresses a longing to make the memory stop replaying in their mind. Many traumatized people develop anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder or depression in response to their trauma. Sadly, many struggle with defeating this hardship without proper trauma counseling.

A person who does receive counseling or fully adequate support after trauma takes place, on the other hand, will have a much different long term response to the traumatic incident. They may initially experience the same things as someone who does not receive counseling because it is a natural part of processing trauma, but they will move on from these effects naturally with the help of a professional counselor. No one is naturally equipped to bounce back from trauma effortlessly. A mental health professional can walk a person through their trauma, back to a place where they feel safe and secure in their world again.

Addiction is a serious mental health problem that warrants counseling. Addiction affects the lives of billions of people across the globe in every culture and society on earth. Once its grip is around someone, it can be a fight for their life to separate them from their addiction. Counseling is a common remedy for addiction. There are a number of treatment options for addicted people, ranging from rehab to sober living houses to counseling to support groups. Different options suit different levels of severity in addictions. Addiction therapy can either be coupled with other treatment options or it can be the sole treatment for an addict, depending on the circumstance. Regardless, it is always highly recommended.

The first type of addiction is called a process addiction. This type of addiction involves a person essentially being addicted to an activity that is carried out in a very specific way. Process addictions include things like sex, gambling, shopping or being on the internet. Counseling for a process addiction involves rummaging around in the person’s past to discover the underlying cause of their process addiction, then working the person towards ways of resisting relapse and avoiding triggers so that they can overcome their process addiction.

The second type of addiction is called a substance addiction. This is the type most commonly thought of at the mention of addiction. Alcohol and drugs are the most commonly cited addictions because they pose a more immediate threat to the person under their influence. A substance addiction can also include an addiction to food, but again, this poses less of a threat to an addict than alcohol or drugs. When a person becomes physically dependent on the substance they are addicted to, meaning they would go through unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if they could not have it, they are officially addicted to it and require counseling. Again, counseling is a necessary measure in rewiring someone’s thinking and helping them into healthier thought and behavior patterns. Mental health professionals highly recommend counseling to anyone struggling with addiction.

Another common need for counseling is for learning to cope with mental illness. Mental disorders and personality disorders are very common in present times. An extensive body of information has been made available in the past 10 years which has helped the public understand how common and how complex mental disorders are. Personality disorders are closely related cousins of mental disorders, and they are also very prominent in our society.

Everyone in the world can benefit from counseling because no one has perfect mental health, however, people with a mental or personality disorder genuinely need counseling and should not forego it. Mental illness is caused by harmful thought and behavior patterns. They were not always present within the person, meaning they began at some point when the person was influenced by adverse circumstances, but the patterns are so old and have been repeated so many times that they have gone subconscious. This is where the help of a professional counselor comes in.

A professional counselor’s job is to discover why a person does what they do, even when the person themselves does not understand why they do what they do. Then, they help the person understand how to correct their own harmful thought and behavioral patterns so that they can begin to welcome mental health back into their lives. Counselors are trained to ask the right questions to discover what kind of mental hardships their client is living with, and then they carefully guide them into healthier ways of thinking and responding to outside stimuli.

A common misconception about mental illness is that medicating is the ultimate solution. It is true that medication can curb the symptoms of a disorder that put the individual at immediate risk, however, cognitive behavioral therapy is ultimately the most important type of treatment for mental illness because it is the only shot at reversing the thought and behavior patterns that lead to the illness in the first place. If you are struggling with mental illness, find a counselor to lean on and work with as soon as possible.