Tag: mental health

Post: What does it mean to understand “self “? 5 understandings

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, mental health, wellness

Knowing oneself is the most important skill that we need to survive in this world. So, how is this sense of self-defined? Psychologically, “self” is defined as knowing his/her strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes and whatever traits, qualities, fears, desires, the person possess.

This sense of self is something that we develop over the years as we grow up. Depending on the environment, culture, values, thinking pattern that we grow to contribute to this sense of self. Therefore, self-awareness has been an interesting topic nowadays.

Self-awareness is the most basic, innate consciousness of our very own existence in this world. In fact, being self-aware helps not only to understand oneself but to understand other people’s perception, thoughts at the moment.

5 understandings for this sense of self:

1.Strong sense of self: Understanding “self” is very important as an individual because we are always under influence of other people, family members, co-workers, in society, social media (current times) and end number of sources. Therefore, having a strong sense of self, in spite of various influences, gives you clarity about your goals, purpose in life. It helps you maintain your self-esteem and confidence through your journey.

2.Realisation: Having a strong sense of self gives you a clear understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Therefore, you can choose your life path better, be it in career, following your interest, passion.

3.Believing yourself: Having a strong sense of self also contribute to your self-belief. Believing yourself is important while performing any task. Even if you face failure number of times, believing in yourself will surely sail you to success. Your self-belief helps you overcome the criticism and discouragement, you face from others. Because, in this world, all kinds of people exist, some would always criticise you, in spite of your success or failure while a few do encourage and uplift you.

4.Boundaries: Knowing self is very important in today’s time. When and what to say “no” is an important aspect of being strong to your sense of “self”. Today’s time is full of distractions, demands, obligations, requests, persuasions, peer pressures which can even mislead or cause self-destruction. So having a strong sense of self, knowing your boundaries is not just very important but help you remain stick to your goals and ambitions in life.

5.Time for yourself: Appreciation your own sense of self, giving time yourself, not only help you to understand yourself better but also help you grow as an individual. Therefore spending some time alone is not only healthy but useful to acknowledge and respect yourself as an identity.

Post: Don’t we lose patience sometimes ? But yes, patience is important. 5 realisations.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, mental health, wellness

In my life, I have realized whenever I have disappointed myself, it’s not for any reason but only because of my lack of patience. I have realised it a number of times that I end up making wrong decisions only due to my hasty approach. I did suffer a lot in the past in a number of aspects of my life. Slowly I have started realising my drawback. Since then I am working on my own patience skill.🤞

Wherever we go, whatever task we do, or whichever relationship we are into, need time and patience to come to an outcome. Starting from our daily routine, getting stuck in the traffic jam, waiting in a queue, performing a task, a baby crying, boss yelling, quarrel with a loved one, all of them require our patience skill👏😥

Therefore, patience is very important in life. 5 realisations:

1.Compassion: Patience helps you become compassionate towards others. If you want peace, hassle-free life, you need to be empathetic towards others. Instead of reacting, or getting irritated towards the other person, with patience, you can understand him/her and settle down in peace. Instead of reacting towards a cranky baby, you can remain sober, compassionate. Patience helps you become more tolerant and accepting 🙂

2.Relationship: In any kind of relationship, we react very fast. With patience, instead of reacting, being defensive, if you understand the person’s perspective, remember his/her positive qualities, take enough time to respond. Things turn out differently. A relationship grows more mature.🙂 .Impatience can damage a relationship based on hasty decisions.

3.Talent becomes a success: In life, if you have a talent, skill, you need to nurture it slowly and steadily with patience. Great things take time. In spite of ups and downs, patience will help you sail through. With perseverence and patience, giving enough time and effort, you can develop into a success story. 🙌

4.Healthy: In life, with full of stress, anxiety, patience helps you to be non-judgemental, understand a situation better and give clearer thoughts. Therefore, taking the right decisions, responding calmly in any circumstances gives no frustration, anger, stress and help lead a healthy peaceful life. 👍

5.Good attitude: Keeping patients doesn’t only mean waiting for a long time, or waiting for the right moment but instead waiting with the right kind of attitude🤘🏻. In life, certain situations are challenging, persisting, struggling through a long haul. Patience helps you build a positive approach, an optimistic attitude through the struggle to achieve the goals or whatever you desired.✌️

Post: Comfort zone is comforting but limiting. 5 simple ways to get out.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, mental health, wellness

To do something new, creative, different, the dynamic is scary, fearful and risk bearing. Not many of us like it. In our daily grind, we have responsibilities, financial liabilities and goals to meet. Who likes to risk the liabilities and do something different and add to more stress in the daily routine?
This happens not only at work, but also doing something creative, or following a passion.

Being in a comfort zone makes you complacent, close-minded and vulnerable to change. You live life just because you are alive.
But life isn’t about just being alive, you are here to celebrate, enjoy and feel happy for your existence in this life journey. At the end of the day, we all agree life is too short. Each one of us is responsible for the kind of life we lead.

So the phrase typically comes ” step outside your comfort zone “
Whether you become successful or failure isn’t important. It’s the satisfaction, enjoyment, confidence and the self-growth you gained through the process that gives you so much joy and happiness that truly matters. So let’s do it

1 Start taking a task or project which you thought you cannot make it. Start working on it.
2 Start doing something creative. Take a music, art, photography, dance class which you would love to do but embarrass to try out.
3 Bring changes in your routine exercise regime. Try something different which you think you cannot do.
4 Choose a fear ( stage fear, giving speech, height) something you have, confronts it.
5 Reach out to someone whom you wanted too but hesitated or join a like-minded group of your interest.

Post: 3 complex realities of emotional insecurity.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, wellness

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe day 🙋🏻

No theories to date can explain the complexities of the human mind and its responses. Each individual has his or her share of emotions and fear. Some express it while some keep it to themselves. The underlying cause of all emotions is mostly fear. Fear of failure, loss of loved ones, worthlessness, loneliness and so on.

This underlying fear is expressed in a person’s behaviour and personality often as anger, hurt, sadness and arrogance. Therefore, emotional insecurity is psychologically dealt with as a borderline personality disorder.

3 important realities.

  1. Any unpleasant event in childhood, physical attributes, disturbed childhood maybe some of the reasons to contribute to emotional insecurity. These fears and insecurities get resurfaced when we run towards our goal or success in the life journey. When we get into a relationship or try to accomplish a certain task, we come across our fear or insecurity. When fear, insecurity becomes overpowering, the individual cannot take up failure so easily. Such a person easily collapsed into depression, drugs and drinking.

2. Many of us have our image of perfection, be it in a relationship, at work, success, materialistic life. Wherever we go, our insecurities follow. When insecurities are overwhelming, the person would exhibit in terms of conflicting behaviour, anger, hatred, aggressiveness or jealousy in whatever areas his fear exist. Strangely, he becomes vindictive in attitude and tries to show up his best image of perfection. But in the process, his conflicted state of mind not only affect his life and also ruin his personal relationships, job or success.

3. We all have fear and insecurity. As long as I can control my mind and fear, it doesn’t affect my life much. So self-realization is an important aspect. Understanding and acknowledging my own fear, insecurity, help me to move forward in life. Self-acceptance and self-reassurance are important keys in building up of my emotional security and overcoming my mental barrier. We need not be preoccupied with the idea of perfection of an image in a relationship, work or success. There is nothing called perfection. With an emotionally secured mind, I can be happy despite my circumstances.

Thanks for reading.

Blessings and much love to all 💐

Post: Is perception a reality? 4 interesting facts

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, wellness

Most of the time, why do we feel we are misunderstood?  Why do we feel that we are judged continuously by people around us?  Why do we feel often that people don’t get my true feeling or true intention?

All these questions have one answer. It is because of my own thinking pattern and behaviour and not because of some problems with them.

Yes, people judge me and make an opinion about me what they see and hear from me. I, do the same. Nobody has the time to sit down and analyse my true intention. 

The truth is …

you can change people’s perception by changing your behaviour or do

not get affected at all about what people perceive about you. 

4 interesting facts about perception.

1. Perception is simply how an individual thinks or become aware through the senses. It is a model created continuously by the brain to perceive reality. The thinking pattern differs from individual to individual. So, the same event can be perceived differently by each individual depending upon his thinking pattern and interpretation. 

2. Perception is something that developed and changed continuously as we grow up. It has grown with the awareness and understanding of the external world as we grow up. Anything in the external world, objects, events, people are attached to some kind of stimulation, organization, interpretation, evaluation and memory. 

3. Perception is often mistaken as reality as we get so involved in our perceived thinking of people, places and things around us that we create altogether a different world. May not be the real world as it is. Then perception becomes our reality. In other words, perception is our concept of reality.

4. There is no wrong or right things in life. Whatever you choose to do, depending upon your perception, you are responsible for its outcome and consequences.

Post: 5 reasons why depression is more prevalent in women.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, wellness

Depression, in medical terminology, is a mood disorder with a persistent feeling of sadness, hopelessness and irritability. It affects both the gender. Depression affects approximately 19 million adults age 18 and above every year (source Mental health America). But studies show a gender disparity with women affected more than men.

Women suffer twice the rate more than men.
The age group of girls 14 to 18 years consistent higher rates than boys of the same group.

Depression most common in women in the age group of 25 to 44 years.

5 possible causes;

1Hormonal changes and fluctuation is a contributing factor. Hormonal changes started during puberty increases the risk. Girls attain puberty earlier than boys. Teenage girls suffer more from identity crisis, newly acquired sexuality, coping with parents, and academics.

2.Hormonal variation during the menstrual cycle, premenstrual symptoms may cause irritability, fatiguability and emotional reactivity. But they are mild and short-lived. In some cases can be severe, leading to Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).


3. A different milestone in a woman ‘s life being pregnancy, postpartum phase, perimenopausal and menopause causes the risk to be high. Estrogen level slowly, significantly reduces and progesterone level rises. Progesterone level stimulates the stress hormones more unlike in men. Infertility, miscarriage, unwanted pregnancies also contribute.

4.Psychological causes like women tend to over think, ruminate more causes to negative thinking. Rumination and recurring thoughts can lead to tensions, anxiety, sadness, bouts of crying.

5. Social causes like troubled relationships, divorces, physical/sexual abuse, and societal stress like domestic responsibility, work pressure, low self-esteem. Eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia due to fear, anxiety, social phobia, dissatisfied physical appearance are very common in women.

Post: 7 tremendous benefits of a particular breathing technique (Kapalabhati)

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, wellness

I have been a yoga practitioner for years. It has been very instrumental in overall wellbeing in my life.
Kapalabhati in Sanskrit means ‘skull cleaning or shining’. It is a breathing technique practised as Pranayama in yoga. Though the word sounds awkward, it is a breathing exercise of successive, rapid, forceful exhalations followed by brief passive inhalation.

The procedure is quite simple:

  • Sit comfortably in Padmasana or simply legs crossed.
  • Rest your hands on your knees.
  • Follow your normal breathing for some time.
  • In a quick moment, contract your abdominal muscles, and forcefully exhale air from both of your lungs.
  • Then allow air to fill your lungs slowly without effort.
  • Perform this cycle for 10 times at a stretch, then return to normal breathing. With daily practice, the cycle can easily go up to 120 times with each round.

Since this is an ancient old practise, in spite of having tremendous benefits, it has some contraindications.

  • Not to be practiced by women who are either pregnant or during menstrual cycle.
  • As there is too much of abdominal movements, not to be practiced by someone having abdominal hernia.
  • Not to be practiced by a person with slip disc, back pain or neck injury.
  • If you suffer from acute respiratory infections, it is better to rest, and let the infections go before doing any Pranayamas.

This practice has ample benefits. 7 important ones are.
1.It is a very useful tool to release congestion and volatile toxins from the body. It also cleans the nasal passage and respiratory system. It is powerful detoxifying method.

2.Since there is a contraction, relaxation of abdominal muscles, it stimulates and improves digestion.
3. It increases heart rate and blood circulation.
4. It is known to reduce stress, anxiety and tensions.

5.The endocrine system and glands are stimulated and regulated.
6.Since you focus entirely on your breathe, your mind gets rid of unnecessary thoughts, hence helps in concentrating. Therefore, a useful tool during the examination.
7. This breathing technique helps to treat diseases related to the nervous system, endocrine system and mental health.

Post : 5 ways to improve my self image.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, wellness

Self-image literally means one’s personal view of oneself in regard to physicality and personality traits. Psychologically, it’s our ‘self scheme’ our own information of different traits that we perceive about ourselves that are already stored in our memory. 

3 dimensions of self-image are :

  • My personal opinion on me
  • How do others perceive me?
  • How I want others to perceive me?

As a positive self image can be favourable, advantageous, a negative self- image can be self – hurting, low self- esteem, low self -confidence, self -critical and pessimistic. Interestingly, many people have both, more or less depending on the different traits they have. 

5 ways to improve my self image in my everyday life.

1.Self – acceptance is important. Loving and accepting the way I am, will make life less complicated en route to the ups and downs of life.

2. Building a self – image realistically based on my strengths and limitations will increase my self- regard rather than based on idealistic views as nobody is perfect in this world.

3.It is important to keep a level of self – awareness to make a continuous effort to evolve as a better person to experience peace and happiness in life. 

4.Whatever good things and success have happened in life so far, enjoy to the fullest, build up more positive energy and move ahead. 

5.Every individual is unique. Never compare your success or failure with someone else. This will lead to shallowness and insecurities. 

Chasing my material goals and success is good, but at the same time, experiencing my emotional state of self achievement and fulfilment is motivating.  



Post:10 tips to slow down ageing.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, wellness

10 tips to slow down ageing.
Ageing is natural so inevitable. But why ageing occurs ? Our body is made up of a community of living cells, functional units which function individually as well as in harmony with one another. The basic cause of ageing is cell damage. Each living cell continue to replicate again and again. But with each time, the cell dies and replicate, the telomere in the DNA strand of cell shortens. So as ageing start progressing, the telomere start shortening. The old cell function slowly and start declining. This telomere of cell can determine our actual biological age.

Other important factors of ageing are free radical damage, exposure to heat, radiation, sunlight, emotional stress and unhealthy lifestyle. Inspite of all these factors, the question is, can we slow down ageing ? The answer is yes. We can control some of these factors and slow down the ageing process. 


So, comes the key points to at least slow down this natural process…

  1. First, the most important key is loving yourself beyond anything . Love yourself and accepting the way you are. This gives you an immense strength to take care of yourself, your body ,mind  and soul. Once this feeling is ingrain in you, you will naturally take utmost care of yourself and also the people around you. 
  2. More than physical stress, emotional stress is the commonest cause to trigger ageing. Troubled relationship, work stress, lonliness are some common triggers. Try look out for solutions whenever you are in a messy situation. Maintaining a calm mind, would surely give some solutions. Hard times do come. But good times always come. Once you move on from your mental stress, not only physically, as well as mentally you will start feeling better. 

3 Completely avoid a sedentary life style. Follow a routine exercise regime. Any form of physical activity like walking, jogging, gymming, cycling are all beneficial. Yoga is a very useful form of practise. Sometime, due to time constrain for busy work life, routine exercise is difficult , then incorporate more and more physical activity like climbing stairs, body movement to keep boosting the body’s metabolism.

4.Maintaing a healthy lifestyle is very important to slow down ageing. Life style factors like smoking, alcohol and sugar intake should be reduced. Avoiding them completely, is a boost to slow down ageing. 

5. Eating habits should be routinely scheduled. Have meal at regular timings with no intermittent snacking. But yes, a fruit or handful of nuts whenever hungry is just normal. Try drinking plenty of fluids, mainly water. This gives you a naturally glowing complexion. 
6. Meals should be composed of good portions of veggies and fruits which would give you the natural dose of antioxidants to combat the free radical damage.

7. Greying of hair is normal. Nutritious food and fluid intake regularly would surely enrich your hair texture and prevent hair fall. Coconut and almond oils are good for head massage as they help in hair growth. Too much of hair colours and chemical treatment can prove harmful in the long run.

8. To keep your skin look younger even when ageing is the diet and a good night sleep. Big portion of fresh fruits and veggies with fluid intake daily would surely help. Do follow your routine skin regime to keep your skin clean and hydrated. Organic /nature based products are good for skin. Applying sun screen lotions and wearing protective clothing during sun exposure are beneficial for skin.

9.Follow your hobbies, passion or any interest you have. This gives you the freedom of expressing your thoughts, emotional outlet to let out. This also gives you joy and peace within. To age slowly, mental calmness and peace are very important. 


10. Lastly, give yourself a few minutes everyday, to meditate, to go within, to the person you are, or the one you want to become. Money and materialistic success are not enough for a calm and happy state of mind. Be grateful always, spiritually, stay connected to your higher self, for having a beautiful life. 




Post :Fear Factor !

by drjurisharma, posted in brain, cognitive health, emotional health, fear, pain, emotions, healing, health, life, mental health, Science, wellness

Fear Factor !

In each one of us, life runs with a common drive, call emotion. Whatever action we do, there is an emotion behind. Not only human, but all animals have emotions. So, fear is also a basic emotion, an instinct for a potential danger. 

Whenever we see, feel, sense some kind of danger/threat, biologically, the amygdala and hypothalamus in the brain get instantly activated. The stress hormones like cortisol, adrenaline are pumped in the blood stream which result in rapid heart beat, high blood pressure, dilated pupil, tightening of big muscles and sweating, ready to run, fight or response. Actually, this is our biological mechanism, a protective response which helps us to survive. Fear, as an instinct is not bad at all. In fact when fear comes, our mind becomes focus, sharpened at the particular task and we can perform better. It is an adaptive mechanism.The instinct is short lived and the body comes back to its normal homeostasis.

Feeling little fear for an upcoming event, job interview, exam, speech, stage performance is a natural instinct. In fact, it would help you to be more focus on the up coming task. Instinctual fear for fire, height, speed or some kind of potential danger to life is all natural. So fear is adaptive and protective when short lived. 

But then, why fear affect us ? When fear becomes habitual, crippling, excessive, it will eventually affect our mental and physical health. When fear is imaginative, irrational, unrealistic, it gets you into real trouble. It will affect your daily life. Then, it is no longer instinctive. It becomes habitual in the sub conscious mind for some imaginative events or ideas which is not even real or that has never happened. In such cases, it is very difficult to get out of such mind frame. Constant fear can lead to anxiety. Anxiety and stress not only have negative impact on your health but also the daily functioning of life. To get out from a habitual fear, a default sub conscious programme, you need to be constantly aware of such moments. The most important thing is your will power, the trust and belief in yourself to bring out the change. This is not an easy task. But, yes, it is possible and you can overcome fear eventually. At times, professional help might be necessary, if the situation is out of control. 
When it comes to fear, childhood is an important phase. Unrealistic, irrational fears inculcated in childhood may result in anxiety, phobias and even panic attacks in future life. 

Simple tips to overcome your fear in everyday life. 

Start facing your fear. The first or second time, you may tumble, but slowly you will overcome. 

As I have already mentioned, by being more aware of such moments, know yourself why you get anxious or fearful and being prepared for such moments. So next time, when it comes you know, it is just your imaginative mind. Take a few deep breathes, and it goes away after a while.

Try maintain a calm mind, exercise, yoga and meditation surely helps in calming the mind. 

Your spirituality or faith in something that is higher than you makes you feel connected and safe.

But lastly, yes, if fear is out of control, medical/professional help is necessary. 

Thanks for reading.

Peace and love 🙏