Two Psychophysio Articles by Rehana Ferdouse ( Writer, Organizer & Voice Artist)

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Counseling For Mental Health Protection

95% of our work is controlled by the subconscious mind. We do only 5% of the work ourselves…quite shocking information!
A large part of the human mind is not controlled by him, but rather an unknown part of his mind is controlling it. How can this subconscious mind be controlled? According to science, there is no reliable way. We can try, but we do not know what the result will be. Our mind is one of the most complex invisible parts given by the Creator. Even if there is a problem in the body, it is more difficult to diagnose the problem in the mind. Even the person who has the problem may not understand it himself.
Along with physical health, health also refers to mental health. But we do not give as much importance to mental health as we give to physical health. If mental treatment is done on time, mental problems do not become so big.
A person may be suffering from a panic disorder, if he does not take proper treatment, it can turn into OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) after a few years and if this continues, he may face more serious mental problems in the future.
If he had taken the help of a counselor in the beginning, he might not have needed any medicine. Counseling alone was enough. But by keeping the mental illness inside without going to the counselor, his problem becomes more complicated and later he may have to go through many medicines and complications to recover.
There is a common idea in our country that counseling means giving advice on what to do if there is a problem in life. Any highly educated person also has this idea. In our country, the matter of psychological counseling is such that the counselor will work as he says or as he thinks. The matter is actually not like that.
Psychological counseling is also about providing information about mental conditions like any other healthcare. Counseling is not about talking and making decisions whenever you want. It is not like calling a counselor and talking to him for 10 minutes and thinking that he will tell you the solution to your problem and that it will be effective for you. If an unknown stranger could solve the most difficult problem of our lives in 10 minutes, then it would not be a problem. Counselors provide effective counseling with professionalism at a fixed time and place.
Counseling is a process where a trained professional (counselor) helps individuals achieve various personal problems, mental health concerns, life challenges or personal development goals. It is a therapeutic process where the individual discusses his problems and develops strategies to deal with them with the help of the counselor.
The Benefits Of Counseling Are…

• A process of helping a person understand and solve their problems.
• A way to improve mental health and well-being.
• To support personal growth and development.
• To provide a safe and supportive environment where the person can discuss their feelings and experiences.

Counseling can be of different types, such as –
Individual counseling: Where an individual discusses with a counselor individually.
Family counseling: Where members of a family participate in counseling together.
Group counseling: Where members of a group discuss problems together.

The Main Function Of Counseling Is…
 Helping reduce a person’s stress, anxiety, depression, etc.
 Increasing a person’s confidence and self-esteem.
 Helping a person improve their relationships.
 Improving a person’s overall well-being and quality of life.

The mental transition that can be achieved through counseling is…

• Making the right decisions by planning and implementing them.
• Worry is reduced and emotions are learned to be controlled.
• Unwanted fear, anxiety or panic are eliminated.
• Counseling teaches people to think healthily and be happy by dealing with stress.
• Marital and family relationships may deteriorate somewhat. This problem can also be solved through proper counseling.
• Counseling is essential for recovering from drug addiction.
• A counselor shows the way to solve not only the behavioral problems of adults but also of children.

Counseling may be needed for a variety of reasons, including mental health issues, relationship problems, life changes, or personal growth. In these turbulent times, taking care of your mind through awareness and maintaining control of your mind… is an important part of loving yourself !

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With Mature Wisdom…With Strong Self-Esteem

Menopause is a new chapter in a woman’s life! The sooner you can adapt to this natural physiological process, the easier it will be to live your life. Knowing about menopause correctly, coping with this physiological stage well, and making life easier… life will be beautiful.
Post-Menopause Mental Problems Must Be Dealt With :
Since birth, a woman has passed through many stages of her life and eventually reaches middle age. At each stage, she has to go through various changes. For example, puberty in a woman’s life comes with physiological processes like the menstrual cycle, and at one point in her life she becomes pregnant. Similarly, every woman has to face another change after reaching middle age, which is called ‘menopause’. Today’s special report is about post-menopause mental problems.
What is menopause?
The complete cessation of a woman’s menstrual cycle that begins during puberty is called menopause. As women age, the level of the hormone estrogen in their body decreases, and this hormone controls a woman’s reproductive capacity. Along with this, the reproductive capacity of the ovaries decreases. As a result, menstruation becomes irregular at one point and at one point it stops completely.

According to medical science, if a woman’s menstruation stops for one year, she should be considered to be in menopause. Most menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, but for some reason, many people experience menopause before the age of 45, which is called ‘premature menopause’. In many cases, regular menstruation occurs after 55, but stopping menstruation before 40 does not mean menopause, there may be other physical complications behind the cessation of menstruation.

Physical Problems After Menopause:

• Headaches, Muscle Tension Or Pain: Stress increases the secretion of the hormone cortisol in the body, which can cause headaches, muscle tension or pain.
• Risk of Heart Disease: Chronic stress increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
• Digestive Problems: Stress can cause digestive problems such as constipation, heartburn, diarrhea and other digestive disorders.
• Weak Immune System: Stress reduces the body’s immune system, resulting in frequent colds, infections and other diseases.
• Skin and Hair Problems: Stress also affects the health of the skin and hair. Problems like acne, skin inflammation, hair loss, etc. can occur.
• Sleep Problems: Stress can cause insomnia or sleep problems.

Post-Menopause Mental Problems:
Apart from some physical complications, women suffer the most from mental problems during menopause. Sometimes post-menopause mental problems become quite severe. Hormonal fluctuations are completely responsible for this mental change. Today, I will tell you about the mental problems that usually occur after menopause.
1) Depression – Many women cannot accept menopause easily. They think, ‘This is the end of everything’. As a result, they suffer from depression. Then their food intake decreases completely or suddenly increases. They no longer enjoy doing things that they used to enjoy. They start forgetting small things and feel sad most of the day. Due to depression, they cannot concentrate on any work as before.
2) Inferiority – After menopause, some physical changes occur; such as weight gain, acne, hair loss, etc. Normally, the hormones estrogen and progesterone secreted by the ovaries affect our skin, hair, sexual needs, etc., but when their production decreases naturally, several changes occur, this phenomenon is completely normal. This change is not possible for everyone to accept. Then many suffer from inferiority complex. There is a tendency to blame themselves for everything without any reason and start comparing themselves with other women.
3) Inability to control emotions and mood – During this time, many women cannot control their mood, and the role of estrogen hormone is also behind this. Mood swings can occur due to the decrease in this hormone and iron deficiency. Many times, they cry and suffer from insecurity because they are unable to control their emotions.
4) Insomnia – Insomnia can occur due to excessive anxiety and depression. Not being able to sleep at night, this results in irritability and reluctance to work.
5) Anxiety or restlessness – After menopause, you may suddenly start feeling restless and worried about various things. In some cases, anxiety can lead to shortness of breath and sweating.

Everything has its good side as well as its bad side. Similarly, stress has not only bad but also good features. For example:
Positive Effects of Stress:

Increased Alertness and Focus — Stress…encourages you to be more focused on a task.

Motivation — Stress can be more motivating when it comes to completing tasks or achieving goals within a certain time frame.

Problem Solving and Creativity — Sometimes stress helps us find new ways to solve problems and be creative.

Increased Physical Activity — Stress makes our bodies alert, which helps us increase physical activity.

Negative Effects of Stress:

Physical Problems — Chronic stress can cause physical problems like headaches, heart disease, digestive problems, weak immune system, and lack of sleep.

Mental Problems — Can cause mental problems like depression, anxiety, restlessness, and lack of focus.

Negative Effects on Business and Personal Life — Work stress, relationship problems, and social life can have a negative impact.

Effects on the Brain — Chronic stress can reduce brain function and negatively affect memory and attention.

Menopause is not the end! You have to remember that you are not alone, all women in this world have to go through this or have gone through it. You have to follow some rules to stay physically and mentally healthy after menopause.

Love yourself — You have to love yourself! You have to remember that every age has its own beauty. So you have to accept the new me and give yourself time. You cannot force yourself or blame yourself if you don’t like something. You cannot compare yourself with others, every person is the best in their own place.

Learn something new — At this time, you can do or learn something new, such as gardening, learning to sew, cooking different dishes, reading books, listening to songs and poems, etc. If you can master something new, your old confidence will return.

Talk openly — Tell someone you trust about your feelings.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to reduce high prescription drug prices – but its details and long-term effects are far from clear.

Desk’s Opinion: Citing figures that patients in other countries pay much less than Americans for pharmaceuticals, Trump said he would order drug companies to reduce their prices inside the US.

He touted the move as “one of the most consequential” executive orders in US history, claiming prices would fall “almost immediately, by 30% to 80%”.

But experts are highly sceptical of the claims, and stock market moves indicate that investors think they will have little immediate effect

The US has a particularly complex healthcare system – including a large private insurance industry, employer subsidies, and publicly funded insurance programmes for the elderly and poor, known as Medicare and Medicaid respectively.

In many other developed countries, more centralised systems mean that officials can negotiate blanket rates for drugs, and in some cases refuse to buy if they deem the price too high.

In 2021, the US Government Accounting Office made a comparison with Australia, Canada and France, and found that prescription drugs were on average two to four times more expensive in the US.

Politicians from both US political parties have taken aim at the costs. During Monday’s White House announcement, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr noted that prices had been a preoccupation of Democrats and a main target in socialist Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns.

Both Trump in his first term and former President Joe Biden tried to tackle the issue, particularly the cost of life-saving drugs such as insulin, but US prices remain stubbornly high.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump and his health officials blamed the lack of progress on pharmaceutical lobbying efforts and large donations to members of Congress.

“The drug lobby is the strongest lobby,” Trump told reporters. “But starting today, the United States will no longer subsidise the health care of foreign countries, which is what we were doing.”

It should also be noted that Trump’s trade tariffs – which he has consistently used to threaten other countries – could increase costs even further. Trump has previously said he will tax drugs imported into the US.

Trump’s order is much wider than previous efforts to bring down costs – however, many details are yet to be worked out.

The wording directs US officials to make sure that deals over drug costs made by foreign countries do not result in “unreasonable or discriminatory” price hikes for Americans.

But what exactly is covered by those terms is unclear – as is the question of what measures the White House would take if “unreasonable” practices are discovered.

The White House also wants drug companies to sell more products directly to consumers – cutting out insurance companies and pharmaceutical benefit managers – and look into importing drugs from foreign countries where they are sold at lower prices. That idea has previously hit stumbling blocks over safety and trade rules.

An official said that Monday’s order was the start of negotiations between the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and industry.