In this world so dominated by social media and virtual communication, it is more important than ever to retain real-life relationships. While the Internet is an invaluable resource, there is nothing as restorative and life-affirming as face-to-face conversations with friends and family. In the New Year, make a commitment to in-person interaction by writing resolutions, like these, dedicated to your community. Read more
Our opinions and views matter a lot and so do the opinions and views of others. Human beings tend to form views and opinions about just anything and everything. The opinions that we form can influence someone else’s thinking to a great extent, and if the opinions and views belong to a reliable person or a credulous source then the magnitude of influence amplifies. Nowadays, the influence of social media has increased so much that every person prefers to consider the views and opinions of other people before doing anything in their respective lives.
Suppose a person is on a lookout for a new Smartphone, he will never go straightaway to the shop and buy one. First of all he would consult his friends and ask them about their views on the cell phone, and then he would search the web for reviews and then finally take a decision of buying that Smartphone. Likewise, when a person starts planning for a vacation, he would never choose a place about which he has not heard some positive reviews, after an intensive research on places and people’s feedback on them, finally one decides a place. Similarly, there are multifarious things about which one prefers to take into consideration the views and opinions of others to be on a safer side.
People who don’t have first-hand experience with depression often imagine that it’s nothing more than feeling a little blue at times, and that people should be able to control it if they just work hard enough. Sufferers of depression are often seen as whiners and malingerers, people who just need to snap out of it, and get on with it. In fact, the stigma behind depression is so great that even people who have the illness, and know first-hand exactly how debilitating it can be, labor under the mistaken belief that they should be able to control their condition through sheer force of will.
That mindset is deadly.
Things You Need to Understand About Depressions
The first thing is that depression is not just an attitude problem that can be fixed with a little tough love. Depression is a serious illness, with a physical cause. Depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain – either the brain does not make enough of the necessary chemicals, or it uses them too quickly, or other chemical process in the body block the brain’s ability to respond to those chemicals. People with depression have no more control over their brain chemistry than people with cancer have control over their mutated cells.
The second thing is that depression isn’t just about feeling a little down. Everyone has moments when they are depressed, but that is not clinical depression. Clinical depression causes a very distinct set of mental, emotional, and physical symptoms beyond just being a little sad including anxiety, sleep disturbances, brain fog, and fatigue. People with clinical depression are also more sensitive to physical pain.
The third thing is that people with depression can’t lift clinical depression by watching funny movies or thinking positive thoughts, because they don’t have the brain chemicals that make that sort of thing possible. Expecting someone with depression to just cheer up or snap out of it is like asking someone to skydive without a parachute. They are going to crash, because no matter how many times they pull that ripcord, the chute’s not there.
The final thing is that 15 percent of people with clinical depression die by suicide.
The Stigma of Medication
People in this country have mixed feelings about drugs. On the one hand, a lot of people recognize and respect the life-saving qualities of many pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, they also believe that we are taking entirely too many drugs.
There are many who feel that antidepressants are over-prescribed. Futures of Palm Beach cites a Mayo Clinic report that antibiotics are the most prescribed drugs, and that antidepressants and opioid pain killers run a close second.
However, “most-prescribed” is not the same as “over-prescribed,” and it doesn’t automatically mean “unnecessary” either. Roughly 13 percent of Americans are taking antidepressants, and a large reason for that is that approximately one in ten adults suffers from depression.
The implication that antidepressants are unnecessary and overprescribed combined with the existing stigma about depression, means that the people who often need them the most don’t get them.
The Real Drug Problem
The problem is that when people with depression don’t take antidepressant medications, they end up medicating themselves anyway.
People with depression and anxiety are three times more likely to have drug and/or alcohol problems. People use these substances, instead of antidepressants, to self-medicate against the physical, mental, and emotional effects of the disease. For people with depression and anxiety, who are unmedicated, stress can trigger even more drug and alcohol use.
Unfortunately, the drugs and alcohol don’t really help, and can often cause more problems. For example: alcohol might “take the edge” off the anxiety in the short term, but it is a central nervous system depressant and can make the overall depression worse.
So-Called Alternatives to Medication
There are several resources that insist that depression can be treated and managed without medication. Dr. Oz and Dr. Mercola, to name a few, both list natural antidepressants at their sites, which they swear are better and more effective than prescription drugs, and have fewer side effects.
The reality is that an overwhelming majority of the recommended dietary supplements have shown some promise in a hand-full of clinical studies, but have also been found completely ineffective in others. In fact, for all of the most commonly recommended natural remedies, the Mayo Clinic indicates that more research is needed, and that these alternatives should not be used as a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment, which includes antidepressant medications.
Is there a problem with drug abuse, and especially prescription drug abuse, in this country? Absolutely. But high prescription rates for antidepressants are not necessarily the cause, and they might actually be a solution
Article Submitted By Community Writer.
Back in 2011, the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health published a large study that surveyed 17,000 working adults in Sweden. At the beginning of the study, participants completed a questionnaire called the GHQ-12, which measures current stress levels and asks questions about mental health.
Participants who had high stress levels were significantly more likely to receive long-term disability during the testing timeframe. However, the most startling finding was that people who had even mild stress levels were 70 percent more likely to receive disability benefits of some kind.
If you’re stressed out at work and not actively managing it, you’re putting yourself at risk for serious long-term problems. Try these seven approaches to make work stress more bearable.
1. Better Nutrition
Stress often pushes people to nutritional extremes. Either they stop eating enough, or they start overeating as a way to cope. Also, busy, stressed people often grab too many meals on the go. Because they don’t eat mindfully, they ignore not only portion control but also nutrient balance. In addition to eating whole foods, cutting out junk food, and only eating until you’re full, try consuming less alcohol and caffeine in the coming year. Avoid using caffeine as a pick-me-up, and use something else besides a class of wine to help yourself relax.
2. Exercise
Getting some exercise is one of the best ways to manage workplace stress, and exercising for stress management doesn’t mean joining a gym or running a 5K next year. Commit to a 30-minute daily walk, or take a yoga class. You’ll improve your fitness, boost your endorphins, and ease mild symptoms of anxiety and depression.
3. Get More (and Better) Sleep
According to Claimsdirect.co.uk, which handles many workplace personal injury cases, sleep deprivation can become a major factor in workplace accidents. For example, sleep deprivation played a major role in the incident at Three Mile Island, the Challenger explosion, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Lack of sleep also means less energy to manage even simple daily stressors at work. This year, get enough rest during the week that you wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.
4. Seek Support From Others
During the new year, make an effort to strengthen ties to supportive friends and family members. Attend more family events, schedule outings with friends, and make sure you’re getting plenty of contact with other people. Talk to people you trust — not your co-workers — about stressful events at work. The more isolated you are, the more likely you are to experience depression and anxiety.
5. Find Ways to Relax
Find something that helps you relax and take your mind off of your job. Sometimes, the simplest actions, like stroking your pet or taking a few minutes to meditate, can significantly ease stress. If you need more to distract yourself from work, spend more time doing something that you love. Start an exciting project that you’ve been telling yourself that you’ll get to “one of these days,” or enter a contest or go to an event related to a hobby that you enjoy.
6. Improve Your Time Management
If you’re always late to meetings or putting off things you know you should be doing, improve your time management this year. Procrastinating seems relaxing while you’re avoiding a task, but you pay later when you’re stressed out about finishing it. One of the best ways to manage time is to start saying “no” when you don’t have enough hours to complete a task. Also, figure out which tasks you can either delegate to someone else or drop altogether.
7. Be Nice to Yourself
The way that you talk to yourself can change your perspective on life. Take time to focus on your accomplishments instead of on where you’ve fallen short. Also, take time to do something nice for yourself, whether it’s getting a pedicure or going to a café to relax for an hour. Finally, everyone has limits, so accept yours and stop beating yourself up about them. Find ways to ask for help when you need it.
You’ll never eliminate all stress from your life, but you can make yourself more resilient so that you can handle it. Tackle one or two of these ideas in the coming year. You’ll become healthier and happier at work.
Article Submitted By Community Writer.
Landing your first real job, whether out of high school or college, is a joyous moment. You are now officially an adult, and you are now completely responsible for the future of your career.
After you have settled into your new job and completed the training, there are a few things you need to do to complete this transition into responsible adult.
1. Get your own insurance.
Most companies offer health insurance to their employees, so it’s very important that you take advantage of this. Using your employer’s insurance will typically cost you less than getting insurance on your own, and it’s likely you will not be covered under your parents’ insurance for much longer. Visit with your HR representative at work to discuss your insurance options, and choose the one that best fits with your current needs a lifestyle.
2. Choose a good dentist.
Along with choosing your medical insurance, you should also opt for dental insurance provided by your employer. Once you’ve done that,choose a dentist that’s reputable and provides the services you need. If you already have a great dentist, then you can skip this step. However, if you have moved because of your new job or if you are still using your pediatric dentist, now is the time to make a change. Your insurance provider can supply you with a list of in network dentists to make the decision easier, but you should also be sure to ask for recommendations and do your research on your own.
3. Start a savings account.
If you don’t currently have a savings account, or if you don’t save very well, now is the time to do so. If you have your paychecks directly deposited into your account, you can break them up into separate accounts. For example, have 90% placed into your checking account, and the other 10% placed into your savings account. This way, you will save money for a rainy day without having to lift a finger.
If your employer offers a 401k or another type of savings/retirement plan, sign up for it. Not only will this money come in handy at some point in your life, it’s also taken out of your checks before taxes.
4. Create a budget.
Once you start earning a regular paycheck, it’s important to create a budget. There are plenty of apps and websites that can help you with this, or you can opt to do it on your own using a spreadsheet. No matter how you do it, be sure to create a budget for yourself. Allocate money for your bills and certain leisure expenditures, such as dining out or shopping. Then, once the budget is created, stick to it. This will help you become financially responsible.
5. Go grocery shopping.
After you create your budget, you may realize how much money you spend on things like dining out. Get out of the habit of eating fast food for lunch and dinner every day and instead go to the grocery store. Buy food that you can bring to work for lunch, and buy food you can make yourself for dinner. There’s no reason to burn through that hard-earned paycheck because of food.
Article Submitted By Community Writer.
In today’s ever changing scenarios, the outlook and calling for Black Hills South Dakota has also changed immensely. It no longer remains as the isolated mountain range rather it has more likely become an attraction to those who ponder for adventure, excitement and a sheer adrenaline rush. Black Hills of South Dakota has evolved as one of the most sought after tourist destinations in and around the globe. Although the geology of the place is a complex one, its volcanic activity front that goes into the wild blue waters and Elysian Pine clad conversions, calls out for the people with a thing for nature, for it indeed offers something at best for everyone. Read more
The booming business sector of Asia is creating opportunities for many Asian countries to stat their business. Countries like Singapore have caught the attention of businesspersons to be their ideal place for investment and their new startups. Like other Asian countries, Singapore is still on its way to make the country as a hub for tech startups.
India has come a long way in terms of telecom service development. Nowadays, telecom services are majorly used for the purposes like advertising, marketing, and direct sales in order to reach out to the prospective customers. The commercial organizations track customers and convey their information to them through calls and messages, which they send on the customer’s mobile. The phenomenon of calling customers and informing them about the services and products is called telemarketing, which is too famous these days.
Planning a wedding is undoubtedly fun and exciting. From the major details like dresses and venues, to all those small, personal touches, planning your big day can be one of the most meaningful undertakings of your adult life. However, as exciting as wedding planning can be, it can also be extremely stressful.
To avoid a full-on meltdown, use the following tips to plan, relax and savor every minute of your engagement and wedding.
Start Planning ASAP
While there’s a lot to be said for basking in that newly-engaged glow, getting a jump on wedding planning can save you tons of stress and frustration when it comes time to say “I do.” For example, tips like the following can help kick-start your wedding planning, sooner rather than later:
- Guest lists. You’ll probably make adjustments to your guest list up until the final hour, but getting an early estimate on attendees will help in planning details like venue, accommodations, menu and more.
- Bridal expos. Shows and expositions can provide much-needed inspiration and motivation during those early days of planning. Find an expo in a location near you, and get ideas on everything from hairstyles and gowns, to wedding favors and photography.
- Online inspiration. Sites like Pinterest and Tumblr are great for storing all your ideas in one place. Plus, sites like Wedding Wire offer online planning tools, completely free of charge!
- Venues. Popular venues can book up for months in advance, so get busy on choosing your dream wedding location. It’s also a good idea to book hotel accommodations as early as possible.
- Crafts. Want to add handmade touches to your wedding ceremony or reception? Get started now. Crafting can take a lot of time and patience, so get to work before your time is consumed with other wedding details.
Enlist Help
One of the great things about planning a wedding is that it promotes quality time with your loved ones. Your wedding party is there to help you along the way, so enlist their help whenever necessary. Plus, your parents, family members and future in-laws would most likely be thrilled at helping plan your big day, so don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when you need it.
Entrust loved ones with tasks like sending out invitations, picking up wedding favors, decorating your venue and reception area, and other chores that don’t require your immediate presence. Just be sure to remember those who helped you, and thank them properly with a special gift and a handwritten note.
Connect with Your Fiance
With all the time and energy that goes into planning a wedding, it’s no wonder that romance often takes a backseat to stress and frustration. Avoid this by making an effort to really connect with your fiance as often as possible. One great idea is to declare at least one day a week “wedding free.” This means no wedding planning, no wedding discussions, absolutely no wedding talk, whatsoever. Instead, use that time to unwind, de-stress and, basically, just enjoy each other’s company.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Even the most well-planned events are bound to hit a snag or two. Be prepared for this possibility, and try to have backup plans at the ready. Most of all, though, remember to relax, focus on the positive, and enjoy every moment of this special day.
Times change and so do the things persisting in those times. Here, we are referring to the press release. There was a time when press release used to rule the roost as an SEO tool. As an SEO tool, press releases worked so well that it became the most used SEO tool. It gained so much of popularity in digital marketing that the word PR began to be used in place of SEO. However, as change is the universal truth, it affected the PR SEO reputation as well. Now, the press release SEO glory days have gone, as press release is no longer considered as an effective SEO tool. However, before delving deep into the reasons behind this situation of press release SEO, let us have a look at the glorious past of the press release SEO.
All over the world, especially amongst the youth, there is a big hue and cry related to their work culture these days. They believe it is better to work smarter and save your time rather than working harder that demands much of your patience, perseverance and of course time.
Body language of a person is one of the greatest ways for him to be successful and admired by all. Your body language is extremely important at your work place since it helps you to be better productive, motivated and inspirational. It also helps you to be more interactive with your colleagues and to impress them. Here are five of the greatest body language mistakes than can risk your promotion. Read more
Of course, you will receive plenty of training in business schools and institutions when it comes to building and managing a startup. However, some of the most valuable startup lessons are often learnt on the field rather than in a classroom. Following are some of the more important lessons you will not be able to learn in any business school/institution. Read more
At some point of time or other, we all forget important work and get distracted while working. These issues regularly bother some professionals. Forgetting important work and not being able to focus on tasks at hand can decrease your productivity level. A graduate student Bluma Zeigarnik observed in the 1920s that the waiters are exceptionally good at remembering the orders of multiple clients but after serving they forget what who had ordered. Read more
Wikipedia tends to top the list of most trusted and most visited websites. However, this reputation of Wikipedia is under threat owing to a revelation that came as a result of a study. To go by the results of the study, it warns people by saying – “Don’t use Wikipedia for medical advice.” This warning holds good reason considering the study traced factual errors in nine out of ten articles on the most common medical conditions. Read more
Every entrepreneur starts his or her business with a vision. Turning this vision into reality is their toughest challenge. Not all are capable of doing this and only a few handfuls emerge victorious in the startup rat race. Competition has increased and in many industries, market has not expanded accordingly. To capture the hearts of your target audience you must employ some clever strategies. Read more
An old proverb says necessity is the mother of invention. Without the urgent need for a solution to an impending problem, good ideas cannot originate. Most brilliant ideas have given birth to the solution of major problems and made our lives easier. Brilliant ideas do not originate whenever we want or need them. There is no fixed time during which brilliant ideas are born. They can occur to you unnoticed at first in the form of a mere hunch. The hunch may remain inside your mind for several years before it develops into a brilliant idea. An idea has to be acted upon or worked upon so that it can turn into an equally brilliant invention. The origin of good ideas has always been a favorite topic of research for the scientists. They have tried different methods to find out how and when good ideas are born. They have also traced the course of ideas from their origination till their implementation. Read more
India is going to witness a historical moment as a person who consider parliament as temple of democracy is going to take an oath in a day. On this occasion I bring you some moments from social media.
इसी ‘नीच राजनीति’ की ऊँचाई भारत माँ को एक समृद्ध और शक्तिशाली राष्ट्र के रूप में विश्व में स्थान दिलाने की ताकत रखती है, this quote refers to so called “low level politics” could change and height of it can make India a prosperous and powerful country in the world.
What makes him a great leader, here is tweet from Sudhanshu Mittal @SudhanshuBJP “In case u missed it, @narendramodi donated his salary of 13 yrs as CM for education of girl child, truly blessed to have him as our leader. Also, @narendramodi ads his vision to this donation stating “this small contribution will be a part of a corpus fund that will hopefully grow in future & empower our daughters”. This effort is in continuation to his statement that he made just after winning election “this Govt. is dedicated to the poor of India, to the youth of India & to the women of India”. We all know about his willingness to contribute and willingness to make positive change.
Dr Parag @ParagDr shares a picture and tweets “every year, Narendra Modi donates gifts which he gets from his well wishers, to the Government treasury.”
Narendra modil loves social media, and social media followers are returning back the love. according to ET Modi’s Twitter handle @narendramodi has 4,240,643 followers, with a weekly growth of 6.77 per cent, monthly increase of 12.22 per cent and quarterly growth of 24.26 per cent.
On governance front he has already started taking political and diplomatic steps he said in tweets “President Karzai & I talked about Consulate attack in Herat. He assured me he will do everything to protect India‘s Missions in Afghanistan.India salutes the efforts of India‘s security personnel & Afghan security forces for their valiant efforts to fight the terrorists in Herat.”
On Economic growth front many social leaders and public figures are looking at Narendra Modi, renowned film director Shekhar Kapoor @shekharkapur tweets “30 years ago, India‘s GDP was same as China’s. Today its less than 1/3rd of China’s. Yes, we need a new direction definitely.
Pic: Forbes
Industry experts have already started predicting GDP growth. Morgan Stanley raises forecasts, says GDP will expand at a four-year high of 6.5% in the year through March 2016. CII tweets that #TopPriority4dNewGovt – build up the investment to GDP ratio and increase efficiency of investments. A tweet from Sushtend @sushtend suggest that the new govt should focus on #Agriculture where nearly 60% of population earns livelihood & contributes just 13-14% to GDP. But the road ahead is not easy as Sangeetha @SangitaSri suggest selling hope, selling optimism, selling faith in governance… A magic very well pulled off by @narendramodi but GDP 2015 is his acid test.
Compiled by Dr Prem @drpremj