Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Mental health day/Dysthemia/10th 0ct

MENTAL HEALTH OF CARERS.(10th oct October)

Normally as the 10th october approaches, one sees articles about Depression and how the
mental health of modern generation is affected especaily among the software professionals due to stress
and modern lifestyle. Ofcourse various advices are given by psychiatrists and mental health professionals.

As a carer i thought it is my duty to inform younger generation of carers about various problems
one faces in caring a MENTALLYILL patient.They know them and are coping. But they may not know about Dysthemia.
. How to detect and COPE with this dreaded condition?.
Have you ever suggested to your other half an"evening out" and bang comes the Brahmasthra (Tomahawk!)" How could you think of an evening out when our child is sufffering so much?. " Same is the casewith movies, sex, holidays, marriage reception of a friend's child, or a game of bridge or anything pleasurable to the humans;the missile comes back " How could you think of ......when our child is suffering so much? This denial of anything pleasurable has got a name DYSTHYMIA . It creeps slowly destroying all pleasurable activities in ones family life.Later the discease itself becomes a virtue of SELFSACRIFICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" FEEL GUILTY MAN' is the MANTRA. When I am sacrificing all pleasures for the sake of our child how could you smile,laugh and eat good food
,playgames.watch favourite TVshow and even gossip with friends.This sometimes takes the extreme form where evenreading newspaper or a book becomes a sin. Listening to Music becomes impossible
with music system under the control of the patient. Those who are in the first episode of an adolescent child are normally in the age group of 35 to 45 years and so are worst affected and completely destroying all their family life. Please take immediate steps to prevent it and the key is to fight this with pleasurable activities without feeling GUILTY .It is imperative and vital that the carers have a happy family life including active sexlife for the sake of their own health . Please go to Movies,restaurants,dramas or anyhting you enjoy and keep your
SANITY for the sake of your ward.Buying another TV/IPOD is a good investment.
Keep away from your ward for sometime without
feeling GUILTY. The healthier you are , your child gets loving caring persons
more in her/his life which is the MOST IMPORTANT THING in their life.

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