Understanding and Resolving the Suicide Crisis

“To all who walk the dark path, and to those who walk in the sunshine but hold out a hand in the darkness to travel beside us: Brighter days are coming. Clearer sight will arrive. And you will arrive too. No, it might not be forever. The bright moments might be for a few days at a time, but hold on for those days. Those days are worth the dark.” — Jenny Lawson

The above quote might resonate with some of you walking down or walking beside someone on that dark path, or had the misfortune of losing someone to this darkness. This darkness inevitably takes away people from us, who never get to live the bright moments awaiting ahead in their journey, a journey which was cut short due to the horrifying reality of suicides.

The topic of suicide has a lot of stigma attached to it and hence is rarely discussed openly. However, it is of utmost importance to shed some light on it, to raise awareness and to discuss it more openly so we can save another individual from taking such a drastic step. It is extremely important to know what drives an individual to take their own life but alongside one must also know how to help someone who might be thinking of taking the same step.

“Suicide is a whispered word, inappropriate for polite company. Family and friends often pretend they do not hear the word’s dread sound even when it is uttered. For suicide is a taboo subject that stigmatizes not only the victim but the survivors as well.” — Earl A Grollman

The importance of ending the stigma around suicide has been aptly summed in the above quote. Suicide is a serious mental health crisis faced globally, with over 800,000 deaths recorded annually, or one death every second, as reported by the WHO. Suicidal thoughts refer to thinking about suicide or taking one’s own life. The concepts associated with suicide vary in intensity and range from ideation, intent, planning and attempt. These concepts can be explained as follows:

  • Ideation refers to the thought patterns surrounding suicide; this may not necessarily result in actual attempts to take one’s life.
  • Intent refers to the purpose or goal behind the behavior of self-killing, without overtly engaging in that behavior.
  • Planning refers to devising ways or concretely thinking about the method of self-killing.
  • Attempt refers to the actual act with the intent of self-killing, which might be fatal or lead to death.

It is important to understand the distinction between these terminologies to better support and help those experiencing suicidal thoughts, and encouraging them to seek help, as well providing efficient intervention for prevention at the stage of ideation itself.

There also exists opposition towards the usage of the terminology “committing suicide”, due to the associated connotations of a crime or immoral act being committed, adding stigma to the victims of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. “Death by suicide” is considered more appropriate as it is sensitive and less stigmatizing.

Causes of Suicide

Suicide is a complex problem, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors might result from a wide range of causes, which differ in intensity. Some of these causes include:

  • Psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders such as anorexia, or substance abuse, or other disorders
  • Family history of mental illness
  • Situations such as financial problems, death of a loved one
  • Distress due to lack of acceptance of one’s gender identity or sexual orientation
  • Complex interaction of biological, psychological, genetic, social, cultural and environmental factors

It is also important to note that material wealth, success, popularity, etc. are not indicators of one’s mental health; even individuals possessing these might succumb to suicidal thoughts. Moreover, suicide is never a sign of weakness!

Symptoms and Red Flags to Look For

Although suicide can be an unpredictable event and suicidal thoughts might not be externally observable, there are certain symptoms or red flags that one can look out for to identify someone undergoing psychological distress including suicidal ideation. Some of these include:

  • Expressing feeling of helplessness towards life
  • Indulging in self-harm/ self-destruction
  • Buying things such as guns, which could possibly result in self-harm
  • Changes in eating habits and sleeping patterns
  • Increased indulgence of substances like alcohol and drugs
  • Disengagement from social circles, reduced interest in social interactions
  • Extreme mood swings: rage, intention to seek revenge
  • Giving away personal belongings
  • Talking, writing or thinking about death
  • Threats or comments about killing oneself

“Healing is not about moving on or ‘getting over it,’ it’s about learning to make peace with our pain and finding purpose in our lives again.”― Shirley Kamisky

Suicide Prevention

At present, India records more than 200,000 deaths by suicide annually. The actual numbers might even be higher due to the lack of reporting of suicide cases because of the stigma associated. Criminalization of suicide was earlier deemed as an appropriate measure for suicide prevention; however, it was proven to be inefficient, since a majority of suicide attempts result from psychological distress. As a result, the Health Ministry of India passed the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 which decriminalized suicide attempts. This Act denounced Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code which highlighted imprisonment for individuals attempting suicide.

This was a crucial decision since it recognized that attempts at suicide result from psychological distress, thus, should not be considered a crime, rather effective interventions must be provided to resolve the distress. In lieu of this Act, the government should provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to anyone who attempts suicide so as to prevent the risk of recurrence.

“Understand that suicidal tendency is not a permanent reality for the majority of the people. You can overcome it with support. Confide in someone you love or trust. It will help you feel better.” — Pulkit Sharma

The first step towards suicide prevention is spreading awareness on mental health as well breaking the stigma associated with mental health issues. It is of equal importance that individuals with suicidal thoughts seek help from a professional. However, seeking therapy is not the only solution. Caregivers and family members can contribute a lot in helping the individual come out of the dark place by following the tips highlighted by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for responding to someone undergoing a crisis and at risk for suicide:

1 Asking them if they are thinking about suicide can be an efficient preventive measure. It is very important for the family members and friends to talk to them and keep all the topics open for discussion. It is also advised to openly discuss about suicide, as research has shown that talking about suicide openly lead to prevention rather than increasing the risk of suicide.

Some questions that might help include, “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” or “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” This will allow them to talk about their problems, as well as reassure them that someone cares about them. Do not ask leading or judgmental questions such as “You’re not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?”

2 Keeping them safe by staying around them or supervising them and removing anything that could be used for self-killing. Individuals with suicidal thoughts tend to store knives or guns for self-harm. Additionally, medication or drugs, which could have harmful impacts on the individual must be kept away from them.

3 Listening to them and being there for them can help them express and vent their distress. This listening must take place in a non-judgmental environment, without discouraging them with statements such as, “Think about how much this will hurt your family.” This will only lower their trust and not allow them to communicate effectively.

Instead, listen actively without judging, advising or preaching them against suicide. Try to understand their pain and let them know they are heard. Often individuals with suicidal thoughts feel unheard and alone, listening to them might help unburdening some of these problems and provide them with a safe space.

4 Encouraging them to contact a helpline (some of them have been listed below) or reach out to someone for support such as friends or family. Encouraging them to join a self-help group or support group where they can share their problems with people who understand or help people going through similar issues can also help them.

It is also important to note, that as friends or family members without the skills and expertise of a counselor, you might unintentionally cause more harm than good. Therefore, it is extremely crucial that after talking and listening to them, professional help is advised with trained psychologists and psychotherapists.

5 Following up with them after the crisis to prevent any chances of recurrence is also extremely crucial. Once the individual has received professional help and begun to deal with the challenges faced by them, it is important to follow up to reduce the chances of relapse. Due to the unpredictable nature of suicides, a person who seemingly looks ‘fine’ might still be undergoing psychological distress, therefore staying in touch and being there for them will be an important step towards prevention.

Suicide Prevention Helplines in India

The following is a list of organizations which can be contacted for suicide helplines:

AASRA : +91 98204 66726

Fortis Stress Helpline :+9183768 04102

Parivarthan : +91 76766 02602

Cooj Mental Health Foundation : +832 2252525

Sneha Foundation : 044–24640050

iCall : +91 22 2552111 | +91 91529 87821

Vandrevala Foundation : +91 730 459 9836 | +91 730 459 9837 | 1860 2662 345

Hang on! Sometimes, the brightest light comes from the darkest places.

We are also here to assist all those in need. You can reach out to us on www.emoticonsindia.com or on Instagram @emoticonsindia

By Anjali Alloria and Shweta Rajopadhye

Trainees at EMOTICONS India

Life on the Borderline

“Borderline individuals are the psychological equivalent of third-degree-burn patients. They simply have, so to speak, no emotional skin. Even the slightest touch or movement can create immense suffering” -Marsha Linehan

Marsha Linehan, an American psychologist and author, is the expert and pioneer of research on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) — one of the most intense and commonly misunderstood psychiatric disorders. She also created the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is the most commonly practiced type of psychotherapy for the treatment of BPD. This therapy incorporates the practice of mindfulness and acceptance. Linehan’s personal journey was a difficult one since she suffered from the symptoms of BPD before the disorder was completely understood.

When was Borderline Personality Disorder formally recognized?

Due to the complicated nature of the symptoms BPD was not formally introduced as a diagnosis, until its inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)- III in 1980. This was a result of intense research on the suffering of patients who exhibited the painful symptoms of BPD, and were misdiagnosed with either Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder. However, BPD is far more common than both these disorders combined, and presents a suicide rate far exceeding that of the general population. Even the nomenclature of this disorder was based on the symptoms which lay on the border of psychosis and neurosis.

Why is May the BPD Awareness Month?

The month of May was declared as the BPD Awareness month in 2008 by the US House of Representatives. This decision was a result of the misconceptions around the disorder and the stigma associated with individuals with BPD. Despite the amount of research surrounding BPD, there seems to be a prevalent misunderstanding among the general population about this disorder. This apprehension is even exhibited by mental health professionals, who either fall victims to misdiagnosing individuals with BPD or are reluctant to offer care because of the stigma surrounding BPD as being an untreatable disorder. This is also worsened due to the comorbidities that exist with BPD, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. along with the misdiagnosis as bipolar disorder.

What are the common misconceptions about BPD?

Even individuals with minimum understanding of abnormal psychology or psychological disorders, fall victim to the misconceptions surrounding BPD due to its portrayal in popular media. Some of these portrayals which might be familiar to us include movies such Fatal Attraction (1987), Girl, Interrupted (1999), Monster (2003), amongst others. These depictions, along with other stereotypes such as BPD being untreatable, people with BPD being unable to have stable and loving relationships, labels such as ‘crazy’, ‘abusive’ or ‘attention-seeking’, not only spread misconceptions but also make the lives of such individuals more painful than it already is.

The month of May in 2020 is one of the most unprecedented ones during most of our lifetimesdue to the prevalent lockdown and quarantine as a result of COVID-19. So, I would like to use this opportunity to dispel some of the misconceptions surrounding BPD and also share personal experiences of some individuals who are living with this disorder, along with my own experiences since the formal diagnosis received by me in February 2020.

What exactly is BPD? What are the symptoms?

Before moving on to the individual experiences of the disorder, it is important to understand the main symptoms of BPD. According to the DSM-V, this disorder is characterized by a pattern of instability observed in the individual’s personal relationships, emotions and identity. It is also marked by impulsivity and begins in early adulthood. There is a fear of abandonment and efforts to avoid any real or imagined abandonment. These symptoms are present in varying degrees in an individual with BPD.

From a neurobiological perspective, this disorder is marked by the increased activity of the amygdala, or the emotional center of the brain, resulting in intense emotional experiences, often at extremes. This extreme experience is also experienced as ‘black and white thinking’ or ‘splitting’. There is also reduced activity of the prefrontal cortex which makes rational thinking a difficult task for such individuals.

As Cedar R. Koons mentions in his book, The Mindfulness Solution for Intense Emotions: Take Control of BPD with DBT, “people with BPD look very different from one another.” This unique manifestation of BPD symptoms in individuals makes it one of the most intense and painful disorders.

What do people living with BPD have to say?

I was provided with the rewarding opportunity to interact with over ten individuals who share their BPD and mental health journeys through the social media platform of Instagram. This allowed me to understand their experiences of navigating life through the intense and often confusing symptoms of the disorder, the coping strategies used by them, as well as the impact of the current quarantine on their mental health. It also allowed me to gather first-hand experiences which would help the readers to understand the myths and misconceptions of the disorder.

What do the BPD survivors have to say about the common misconceptions?

When I asked the individuals with BPD about the misconceptions that they commonly face, many of them reported saying that there is a stigma of people with BPD being ‘manipulative’ and ‘violent’, which is not accurate. Another individual (@borderline.world), claims that people with BPD are not as represented in media. Another BPD survivor (@mylifewithbpd_jazriella), says that what might come across as ‘overacting’ to a neurotypical individual, is the heightened severity of emotion experienced by people with BPD.

Wendy Scaletta, also highlights that the excessive emotional reactions which might seem ‘dramatic’ or ‘out of proportion’ to neurotypicals, are in fact experienced by people with BPD at that heightened level of intensity and severity. However, in reality, it is an excruciatingly painful experience over which they do not posses any control. As Daisy Hannan-Young said, for her BPD seems like “you’re on a wild rollercoaster of emotions every day.”Another apt description of the personal experience of dealing with BPD has been provided (@bpdcantbreakme), “BPD is a bully inside our head and we are doing all we can to ignore him.”

Natasha (@overthetopwoman) also dispels the stereotypes surrounding people with BPD by claiming, “we aren’t monsters.” She is one of the individuals who recently received her BPD diagnosis, a week before her country went under lockdown. In order to share awareness, she also hosts a podcast, and she wishes to inform the readers, “Be kind! You never know what’s going on with someone. For people with BPD, I can say that every day is a challenge. But we are warriors. All of us.”

What are the methods of coping used by BPD survivors?

The BPD survivors also shared the coping strategies used by them. For some of them it’s music, writing, art and self-talk. Some of them use the DBT and mindfulness skills such as rational thinking and acceptance. Whereas some write songs as a cathartic activity. One of them also wishes to write a book about her BPD experiences. There have been other skills such as playing the violin which is calming or taking kickboxing lessons to channel out the anger in beneficial ways. Other coping activities include journaling and spending time in the nature. Most of them also share their experiences on mental health pages on Instagram and contribute to making the BPD community on Instagram a supporting and safe space for the survivors, as well as spreading awareness about the same.

How has the quarantine impacted the mental health of most BPD survivors?

The ongoing quarantine has impacted individuals with BPD in varying ways. For some of them, their families do not acknowledge and accept the disorder, making it difficult for them to stay at home in such environments. Whereas, some have experienced loss of family members to the pandemic which has worsened their symptomsand made coping more difficult. On the other hand, the change in routine has also worsened the symptoms for some. For instance, a BPD survivor and a mother, claims that with the disruption in her routine as well as her daughter’s, she has experienced change in her sleep schedule and insomnia, along with increased lethargy and irritability.

Another major impact of the lockdown has been the disruption in therapy, while some of them have been availing online sessions, for others it has been difficult. Some of them also received their diagnosis not long before the pandemic sent the world into a lockdown, giving them less time to understand and deal with the disorder. Additionally, with less contact with their friends and other loved ones, the fear of abandonment has heightened, making it difficult for many of them to cope.

However, for some of them, this lockdown has proven to be beneficial. This time off has allowed some of them to work on themselves, spend more time with their families and feel loved. Whereas for some, it has allowed them to indulge more in their hobbies and interests. Despite all these challenges, all these individuals are trying their best to put a brave front and fight through the disorder.

Messages from the BPD survivors to the readers

The BPD community wishes to communicate to the readers that living with this disorder is one of the most painful experiences. What you can do to help someone who might be going through BPD, is to empathize with us without invalidating the seriousness of the disorder. Additionally, as one of them (@mylifewithbpd_jazriella) puts it across, BPD survivors often have to ‘suffer in silence’, therefore others must understand that it is a real disorder and the emotions and experiences that follow this disorder are valid. She also expresses that validation and acceptance are the most important things to provide to someone who has BPD because the one thing they always feel is invalidated.

Moreover, often the sufferers themselves do not understand the disorder due to lack of awareness and misunderstandings surrounding it, the judgment that follows only makes their experience more painful. Another message that a BPD survivor (@bpdrelates) wishes to send across is, “Borderline personality disorder isn’t to be taken lightly, it’s probably one of the most painful disorders because not only do we have to adjust our entire minds to the ‘realities’ perceived by other people in order to feel normal, we have such a hard time finding a sense of stability not in the outer surroundings only, but especially and ALWAYS within ourselves.”

Finally, another message that Wendy Scaletta wishes to send to the readers is that even though sufferers of BPD must be held accountable for their actions which hurt others, and should not be excused just because of their disorder, but there still needs to be understanding and acceptance so that the guilt already experienced can be reduced. What best sums up the message that we as BPD survivors want to send across, as put forth by Wendy Scaletta, is “we are not ticking time bombs who are bound to destroy and hurt everyone around us.”

The names shared here are with the prior permission of the individuals and we thank them for opening up about their experiences and allowing us to share the same with the readers.

Know it’s a sign of strength to reach out when in need. We are here to assist all those in need. You can reach out us on www.emoticonsindia.com or on Instagram @emoticonsindia

Take care ’cause you matter!

By Anjali Alloria

Trainee

EMOTICONS India

Healthy Habits for Coping With Uncertainty During a Pandemic

“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt, until they are too heavy to be broken!” 

The first thought that entered my mind about being quarantined at home was that I would not be able to meet my friends. Who would have thought that when summer began, we would be taking out face-masks instead of sun hats? While our accessories may have changed, we certainly have not. Our needs remain the same as before – to meet our friends and relatives, to travel, or even a walk to the nearby park. In these uncertain times where we are confined to our homes and seek any source of company or entertainment, most of us turn towards technology, food, and work. The equivalent to staying healthy – mentally and physically – during this time, is to moderate all activities. 

As time passes and we become increasingly hopeful of the lockdown lifting and life resuming its daily routine, many of us are unable to manage our productivity or keeping ourselves busy. Sure, some of our initial thoughts and motivations would have been more focused on our hobbies, interests, and skills that we previously had insufficient time to build. However, to maintain this sense of enthusiasm, or at least remain preoccupied doing activities we are fond of, a constant change-up in the order and way we spend our day is necessary. 

So often, we are attached to the comfort of routine, being busy, working, distractions, that we forget to create new routines. Instead of letting ourselves fall into a rut because we are afraid to leave behind our lives before lockdown began, let’s look at some ways in which we can look forward – or at least inward – to what inspiring insights our home-lives hold for us. 

Take part in an online event or activity. 

Many creators, influencers, bloggers, and educators have not let home confinement come in the way of their enterprises. While social media platforms are proving to be many people’s primary mode of communication during this lockdown, how we engage with each other as part of a global community is becoming clearer as well. Here is a list of the types of live events on social media that fit a variety of interests – 

  • Taking up an online course to brush up on your skills, building your knowledge in your area of expertise, and even resurrecting an old hobby.
  • Live Workouts by various prominent fitness bloggers on social media platforms. 
  • Connect with friends and relatives! Video-chats and Online Meets have made staying distanced from our loved ones bearable to a certain degree.

Maintain an activity and sleep log. 

Many of us have become nocturnal creatures during this pandemic. We sleep when it is time to wake up and work when it is time to sleep. Studies show that imbalances in our circadian rhythms can be a major determinant as causes of depression. Activity and sleep logs not only make you more mindful and aware of the number of things you do in a day, but revisiting it at the end of the day can also give you a sense of short-term motivation and help you spend your day doing things you value. 

A log could be a challenge that you completed in your exercise routine, a meal that you prepared by yourself, quality time that you spent with your family, or even decluttering your room. The cumulative small things we do in a day should not go unnoticed by us. 

Create new routines for yourself each week. 

Productivity is essential to many of us when it comes to reaching career or life milestones and even our short-term goals. However, focusing on only the threat of productivity won’t create a stable web. What prevents us from forming routines in times such as these is the lack of outdoor activities and significant reduction of things such as running errands, traveling to and from work or school, and visiting relatives or friends. There is no change in the physical environment in which we are present. 

Keeping the same routine for several days or weeks puts us in a rut and displaces any sense of enthusiasm with monotony. While there are certain minor habits and acts that we take part in each day such as working, bathing, cleaning, things can always be kept interesting by shifting some of these activities around. Print out a template for a timetable, with a different schedule or sequence of events for each day or week, and see the graph of your productivity changing.

While these activities are all beneficial for brightening up the days to come, the one frame of mind that we must maintain for ourselves is to give ourselves breaks. Even at times when we are keeping ourselves preoccupied with mindful and healthy activities, we must also learn the value of time spent alone and doing things that do not involve too much physical or mental exertion. This could involve being more considerate of our abilities, looking forward to those one or two off-days after many days of hard work, or doing a meditative exercise instead of a high-intensity one. 

In these uncertain times, we seek a sense of security within the confines of our home, and one way to challenge this apprehension is to assess the likelihood of good and bad outcomes resulting from the lifestyle we are currently leading from an objective point of view. 
Home isolation has put us in a position where we are removed from those whom we usually surround ourselves with and it is a great opportunity to discover those parts of you that are not influenced by others. It is time to discover thyself! You never know, all the wonders you are seeking could be hiding within you.

-Taira Deshpande

Trainee

EMOTICONS India

ARE YOU BEING PRODUCTIVE OR BUSY?

Don’t we all look at the word productivity in a very positive light?
When I asked in one of my trainings to the people “what are the words, they associate with the word productivity?”, the top 5 words that came up were profits, success, growth, opportunity, accomplishment.
Well, right.
But, what if I tell you that productivity can be a double-edged sword, although not everyone sees it that way, that on the other edge the words such as strong self-discipline, competition, challenges, distractions and anxiety are also associated with it?

During this pandemic, are we all in this push and pull of being productive or non-productive ?
Are we struggling with the answers to what is productivity in the real sense?
Is productivity about quantity or quality? Or Is it about struggling and hustling? And not about harmony and peace?

As I say, “Don’t just Do, Enjoy what you Do.”
One might find themselves in two minds, especially during the pandemic.
One which is asking you to utilize this time of quarantine to learn a new language, an instrument, launch a new business, write a book or start a YouTube channel. Or another one where you think you are putting too many expectations on yourself, and so you should just Netflix or chill into oblivion.
Well in my opinion, what we could do is have a schedule. And the type of schedule that would be helpful is called “A flexible schedule”,
where we are able to differentiate between an important task vs priority task, realistic vs. unrealistic self-expectations and our output vs input ratio. And so what might help is looking at it from the angle that, while a pandemic may present a window of opportunity, people should also be strategic and wise about how they use their time.

Pandemic time doesn’t demand “the” thing from you. It is completely based on the individual needs and desires.
What’s important here is to redefine productivity. Activity is not productivity; being busy isn’t being productive, either.
Getting a lot of work done, while being disturbed, is it really a productivity in itself!?
Are we really engaging and enjoying work-life harmony, and instead getting into social comparison or simply creating self-set demands and pressure?

So check if you are prioritizing what’s on your schedule or scheduling what’s your priority?
Don’t just be busy, be mindful about what you are busy with.

-Nikunja Gujar
Psychologist|Director
EMOTICONS India

LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE

Amidst the chaos around the world, sometimes the weight seems too much. People seem distant. Everything has come to a halt. It’s in moments like these when you feel you’ve lost touch with your world. You crave for experiences outside your four walls, away from the cacophony of everyday life.
Even though everyone seems unflustered from time to time , you come across an undercurrent of unease and worry building up gradually. Every day is just another mundane affair while happiness seems lost somewhere.
But why are you setting boundaries to your bliss?​
Take a look around and feel the warmth of the sun. Listen to the soft chirping of the birds. Feel the wind rushing through your hair. Take joy in the cup of tea that you thrive on. Cherish the feeling of togetherness that you share with your loved ones. Find an unspoken comfort in the presence of your family. Sense the positive energy of your home. Reminisce the act of kindness that made you smile. Sing the song that brought back memories of your time. Recollect the elusive childhood incidents that made you laugh. Engage in heart warming conversations that made you smile . Watch the movie that cheered you up. Relive all those moments that struck a chord with you. And this, sense of belonging to your family, work, home and life, in essence isn’t momentary. It lives on for ever.
And when everything comes to a standstill, it’s within the little things that we find peace, love and abundance; we live and enjoy the moment.
Aishwarya Rawat
(EMOTICONS India)

Play Therapy and Autism

‘Enter into children’s play and you will find the place where their minds, hearts and souls meet.’ -Virginia Axline

Whenever we go through something good/bad in life, we adults can express and vent out our emotions and problems through words by talking to our family, friends or even therapists. But what about children? Can they do the same?

Children many a times don’t have the vocabulary to express their emotions. Some of them are too small to even speak and many a times they don’t feel comfortable with sharing what’s going on in their mind. So how do they express themselves? The answer is ‘PLAY’.

Play is children’s natural language. They can express their problems and emotions through play. Mental health needs of children can be met through play therapy. It can be administered to any child whether he is facing any problem or not. It helps the child to boost his self-confidence and he learns more about himself, his emotions and how to express them.

Play therapy can be effectively used for children with autism. It helps them to develop their communication and social skills. They learn to interact with other people. They learn to express themselves emotionally. Their play with various toys becomes their words.

Children with autism may play differently than other kids. They focus just on one toy and they might keep repeating their play with that toy like spinning of wheels. This repetitive behaviour might be a result of either under stimulation or over stimulation. They may also want to play alone and refuse to play with others. They are most of the times in their own world and may avoid eye contact. They are likely not to pay attention to what you are saying and may not engage with you. Hence, it is necessary to play differently with them. Play therapy helps them to think in different ways, look out for various new perspectives and they also learn to expand their ways of playing with toys.

Children with autism can benefit from any one of the following play therapy methods as early intervention.

  1. Floortime:

In Floortime therapy, you play with the child on his own terms. It can be called as a parallel play. The child might be playing with a single toy repetitively and it is possible he will not try to communicate with the therapist. At such times, the therapist can take some another toy and play with it the same way as the child is playing. Then, the therapist can add something new to the game and probably add some conversation so that the communication starts and new aspects are added to play.

Floortime will help with the overall development of the child.

2. Integrated Play Groups (IPG):

While using this method, the therapist has to combine children with and without autism together in a group. This increases their interaction with other kids and their social skills are developed. In this method, the therapist usually starts the play and then the kids take the lead. Children with autism learn new perspectives while following their peers. Research has shown that kids who were involved in integrated play groups, improved their quality of play, used their toys in a more typical fashion and showed improved social interaction with peers. They also start engaging in pretend play overtime.

3. Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement and Regulation (JASPER):

As the name suggests, the four main targets of the JASPER method are developing the joint attention of the child, his symbolic play, engagement and regulation. This method includes having naturalistic symbolic play sessions, imitation games, language and play acts. The therapist must pace the language to match the child’s language and adjust the play based on the interest of the child.

JASPER method can help the child to improve his joint attention skills so that he can focus on a toy and a person at the same time. In this way, the child’s ability of playing with others is improved.

All these methods of play therapy can be easily taught to parents so that they can themselves take the sessions at home.

One will notice that the child has improved most of his skills within a few weeks of the therapy. He will speak and express more than before. His playing methods will develop. For example, if he was just spinning the wheels of a car before, he might race the cars or make other progress after the therapy.

However, the results might not be immediate. Give the child sometime. It can take weeks, months or sometimes years depending upon the child’s needs. But, one thing is for sure…Play will help the child a lot in his overall development.

So, don’t underestimate the power of Play Therapy!!

-Shruti Shelar

This article is brought to you by-

EMOTICONS India
(www.emoticonsindia.com)

There’s more to Thor than just Power and Lore

This isn’t going to be an informative article. If my estimate­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ is right, you’re reading this on a rectangular piece of metal and silicon you use to pretend you’re busy at the office. Or to show strangers what you had for lunch last Tuesday. So, let’s keep it real. In return, I promise to justify the click bait title that brought you here.

Avengers: Endgame took the world by storm. In this much awaited finale to Phase 1 of the MCU, we watched the rise and fall of a highly hated, mostly admired and in the case of many females, much fantasized about character named Thanos; a powerful and persistent entity. He truly tests the endurance of our heroes in his quest to control world population by snapping them out of existence.

I’d like to draw your attention to one character in particular, whose story is worth retracing. Thor. The character arc of this much loved hero is extremely underrated. He was a pampered son, an ambitious prince, a bloodthirsty warrior, a fallen God and this was just the 1st movie! Having found his equilibrium after being forced to live amongst Ear­­­­thlings he was yet again put through a daunting set of trials with the death of all his family members, one of whom he had to mourn twice. Despite the tribulations up to the events of Ragnarok, he found it within himself the strength to put aside his sorrow and focus on returning to his home planet because his people’s safety was paramount to him. Post this; he was up against yet another enemy who destroyed most of his people and his self confidence. Forced to fight once more, the indomitable God of Thunder rises against his nemesis and seemingly beats him; only for the Mad Titan to snap his fingers and complete his mission. Following another period of self loathing, he finally gets his revenge in the final film.

You may know friends or relatives who voluntarily try out new things very often. At some of these, they tend to fail. But they usually manage to muster the courage to go at it again, possibly using an alternate approach. Or they might abort it for the time being and try something else. You may have wondered: What is it that makes them so hard-faced even after a heavy defeat? The answer to your query is a very well known but often ignored quality known as resilience.

The above story is to better demonstrate the phenomenon of resilience and the extreme conditions under which it manifests itself. To better understand it, I shall quote the Wiki page, which you’ll be accessing in roughly 30 seconds- “Resilience is said to exist when a person uses mental processes and behaviours in promoting personal assets and protecting self from the potential negative effects of stressors.” Simply put, it means that a resilient person is able to bounce back from adversity solely on the merit of their own capabilities and mental resources. No external aid whatsoever.

This quality sets individual apart from the rest. They like being on the move, preferably in big leaps. A “STOP” sign in their language means “GO AROUND”.

In the Endgame film, you’ll recall that even after the chopping off Thanos’ head, Thor doesn’t achieve any measure of satisfaction. He proceeds to wallow in self pity, brooding over his vital error, merely existing and drinking himself silly leading to his obesity. It takes him a lot of time and effort to find the courage to pick up his pieces and launch another assault on his tormentor. This part is essential to understand how fickle and insatiable human desire can be. Even for the toughest of us, it requires an unassailable resolve when the odds are against us. Just the existence of a possibility is not enough for Thor. He’s still reluctant to go up against Thanos because this was the one opponent who well and truly beat him. More than once. This serves to humiliate him even further and undermine his faith in himself.

Growing up, all of us have read stories of brave knights and fierce warriors with gleaming blades that were beaten multiple times before they turned the tables of war. These stories only highlighted the romantic, glorious side of the fight which makes for pleasant reading. However, a lot of physical pain and mental torture needs to be endured for one to be called “resilient”. The whole point of resilience is that it’s not at all easy and requires defiance of enormous obstacles. If it was easy, everyone would do it. But this side of the story isn’t glamorous enough for a mention, is it?

An important trait of resilient people is their ability to look at a defeat objectively. In the mess of the emotional impact, we often tend to fixate on the ‘what-if’ instead of the ‘what-now’. This is something I try everyday. (Yes. I fail at something every day.) When things don’t go according to plan, the best thing you can do for yourself is to accept that it has happened. As a wise man once said, “The first step towards solving a problem is acknowledging it.”  Denial is the demise of progress and serves no purpose other than sweeping problems under the rug. A hardy mind is able to look at an obstacle as an obstacle-nothing more, nothing less.

So, my newly enlightened reader; which team do you play for? Are you team “what if” or “what now”?

This article is brought to you by the team at EMOTICONS India. To read more intriguing pieces, follow us @ https://medium.com/search?q=EmoticonsIndia

Thanks for your time!

Play Therapy as Psychological First Aid.

In the turmoil of today’s world, we as adults, sometimes find it difficult to keep up with life and the challenges that it brings. Have you thought about the impact on the young growing minds who are still trying to process and make sense of their lives?

We are so particular about our child’s growing needs, and their physical healthright from their nutrition tomaintaining strict discipline regarding their vaccination schedules, being immunized for the upcoming season and sterilization of everything they might probably come in contact with and religiously keeping a sanitizer in their tiny bags.

For their intellectual development we focus on complete, up to date modules of information, the most innovative methods of teaching and strive hard for the all-round development of our child. We make sure they go to the best schools with the best teachers and the best curriculum and the best extra-curricular classes.

To meet with the demands of today’s fast moving and challenging world, teachers work hard to mold the child. Children are innocent yet vulnerable and are susceptible to problems and challenges just like we are. They share and feel the same emotions that we do- anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. They lack the cognition and vocabulary to communicate through words which is the primary means of communication for adults, therefore, children communicate through play which is their natural language.

“Free Play” is described by the Charity Play England,2016 as:

“Children choosing what they want to do, how they want to do it and when to stop and try something else. Free play has no external goals set by adults and has no adult imposed curriculum. Although adults usually provide the space and resources for free play and might be involved, the child takes the lead and the adults respond to cues from the child”.

Play therapy is a type of mental health counseling that allows children to use a specially designed playroom to facilitate expression of emotions and feelings. Children not only express themselves but also learn a lot of new things while playing.  “Through play, therapists may help children learn more adaptive behaviors when there are emotional or social skills deficits. Play therapy may also be used to promote cognitive development and provide insight about and resolution of inner conflicts or dysfunctional thinking in the child. “

The advantages of Play Therapy are profound andinclude self-expression, self-knowledge, self-actualization, increasing self-esteem and confidence, building strong individuals who connect positively with others, equip children with problem solving abilities, help them prevent and resolve psychosocial problems. Hence, it- is mandatory that all children have access to this psychological first aid.

Children need the most efficient and the best mental health care, since they grow up to be the adults that we are. Many of the problems and challenges of adulthood stem from childhood experiences and weak coping skills.

Imagine if we equip children with psychological first aid skills like resilience, strength, excellent emotional availability and connect to emotions, and the ability to recognize and work on their feelings.

The same importance that we give to physical well-being, first aid and care for future health must be given to mental health too.Play therapy is a developmentally sensitive way to help children who are not yet ready for the traditional counseling experiences that are designed for adults.

The Psychological First Aid is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning and coping. “PFA does not assume that all survivors will develop severe mental health problems or long-term difficulties in recovery. Instead, it is based on an understanding that disaster survivors and others affected by such events will experience a broad range of early reactions (e.g., physical, psychological, behavioral, spiritual). Some of these reactions will cause enough distress to interfere with adaptive coping.”

At Emoticons India, they believe in providing the best psychological care to children, along with one on one play therapy, a positive, preventive and psychological health education program initiative called Self-E has been taken. The program begins right from standard 1 of school till standard 10 and is included in the academic program. It aims to equip students with techniques to deal with difficult circumstances and manage their own emotions during the most conflicting times of their lives.

Let’s work together towards building a brighter, safer and healthier mind for our future generations.

Written by – Nafisa karachiwala
EmoticonsIndia
http://www.emoticonsindia.com



Is stress reflecting on your face?

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Do you remember the time when you were struggling or procrastinating to meet your deadlines? Did you ever see yourself facing any conflicts in the family or at the workplace?
Were you ever caught up managing your social life while meeting the demands of family and friends or living up to the expectations of the society?
Sounds any familiar? Ringing any bell? Let me take a guess on what you did probably. Indulged yourself in binge eating or oversleeping, or had that whole tub of ice-cream to feel temporarily good.
No, we absolutely have no objection against your consumption of ice cream or any other ways of dealing with it suggested by media, but did it really help to solve the real problem?
Did you FEEL BETTER or did you GET BETTER?
Folks, most of the times these strategies work as a temporary distraction from your stress and actually take you nowhere in the long run.

The most important part of choosing the way you want to deal with your stress is your acceptance and willingness to address the issue in the most pragmatic way.
The three A’s that psychologist suggest to bring about a change in regards to managing stress on the levels of both psychological and physiological states are;

Awareness, Acceptance, and Action.

Awareness
Take note of what your system is telling you.Address the signals your mind and body are giving you like irritation, weeping, hair fall, losing/ gaining weight, lack of interest in daily functioning.
This prevents one from reaching out to your full potential.

Acceptance
When you are aware that something is blocking you from your goals its time to take responsibility. Its the willingness to act on it and take the ownership that matters.

Action
After accepting you are going through stress and being aware of the triggers around you, it’s important to take charge of it. And make those initial changes in the cognitive, emotional and behavioral level. If the baggage is too much to carry, one could also consider seeking professional help.
As the famous quote from the movie vicious says,

“You are the master of your fate, you are the caption of your soul. “

Written by. Namita Thawani & Ankita G Tikare
EMOTICONSIndia