Stress
Most people suffer from stress. Stress is the reactions of our bodies to any changes which require people to respond or adjust to it. It is not always possible for an individual to change or avoid situations that might cause stress. Some of the common causes for stress are illness, death, divorce, accidents, pregnancy, job change, confrontations, money problems, retirement, etc. The question to be answered is how to cope with stress. First of all, an individual should keep a positive attitude; he should acknowledge that there are situations/events that he/she can not control; it is better to become assertive rather than aggressive. An individual should be able to assert his opinions, feeling, and beliefs instead of becoming aggressive, combative, or angry. Exercising regularly is very helpful in managing stress as a fit body can cope with stress better. Learning to relax and well-balanced meals are the other methods to cope with the stress.
It is very true that due to the demands of the fast passed life most of the people suffer from stress. It keeps an individual alert and ready to avoid danger. Sometimes an individual feel trapped and unable to cope with stress. It can be caused by anything which requires an individual to adjust to a change in his/ her environment but the most important reasons are death, divorce, and loss of job. An individual’s body reacts to these changes with mental, physical, and emotional responses.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
“Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an illness that causes people to have unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and to repeat certain behaviors (compulsions) over and over again” (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: What It Is and How to Treat it, 2006).
Obsessions are irrational thoughts, unwanted impulses, or ideas that repeatedly come to a person’s mind. Often patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience distressing thoughts such as “I may have left gas stove on”; “my hands are dirty and I must wash them”. The patients are conscious that obsessive thoughts are irrational but at the same time, he or she is afraid that these thoughts might be true. Trying to prevent such thoughts often causes great anxiety. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors such as counting, hand washing, hoarding, checking and arranging. Patients often repeat these behaviors hoping for relief but they do not get satisfaction or a sense of completion. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder feel they should perform these rituals or something bad will occur.
Persons with obsessive-compulsive disorder are plagued by persistent unwished thoughts or images, or by the urgent need to involve certain rituals. Generally, they may be preoccupied with dirt or germs and wash their hands repeatedly. They are always filled with doubts and check things and over and again. Repetitive behaviors such as counting, hand washing, cleaning, and checking, etc. are often repeated with the hope of keeping the obsessive thoughts away. Repeating these compulsions (repetitive behaviors) however, gives only temporary relief, and not repeating it increases the anxiety.
Effectiveness of the psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is the treatment of emotional, mental problems by psychological means. This includes improving the individual sense of well-being and decreasing subjective uncomfortable experiences. Psychotherapists use a range of techniques such as dialogue, experimental relationship building, behavior change, and communication which are designed to better the mental health of a patient. The effectiveness of psychotherapy is a matter of debate. Moreover, there are controversies related to which form of psychotherapy is the most effective and which kind of therapy is the most desirable for treating which types of problems. Generally, the effectiveness of psychotherapy is calculated by a questionnaire given to the patients during their treatment. Those patients who stay with therapists for longer periods tend to report positively due to long-term relationships. In a study in 1952, Hans Eyserek stated that 2/3 of psychotherapy patients improved considerably on their own, whether or not they received treatment. It is also true that the effectiveness of psychotherapy cannot be measured by questionnaire-style observation.
On the other hand, in 2001 Bruce, Wampold of the Wisconsin University stated in a report, ‘The Great Psychotherapy Debate’ that psychotherapy is more useful than placebo and no single method has the edge in efficacy and more positive results are possible if the therapist is able to establish a positive working alliance with patients.
Power of love
Love is very vital for an individual’s mind and body. The more connected is an individual is, the healthier he/she will be both emotionally and physically. The less connected an individual is, the more he/she is at risk. Studies have shown that the less love an individual has; the more depression he/she is likely to experience in his/her love.
Love can be an anti-depressant because one of the most important reasons for depression is feeling unloved. Generally, depressed people do not love themselves and they do not experience loved by others. They tend to be self-focused. Thus depriving them of the opportunity to learn the skills of love. Generally, an individual get the ideas of love from popular culture. He/she tend to believe that love is something that sweeps us off our feet and today’s pop culture ideals of love include unrealistic images created for the environment. This is one of the most important reasons for people set up to be depressed.
To a certain extent, it is true that people who belong to the same attractiveness feel a get attracted. But love doesn’t work that way and real love is much more than temporarily infatuation. Real love between two individuals is tested through conflicts and when they emerge from that and still have a strong desire to be together, they have shown that differences can be a good thing.
Works Cited
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: What It Is and How to Treat it. familydoctor.org. 2006. Web.