Coping with Suicidal Thoughts

Did you know…?

Global Research indicates that more people die from Suicide than from War and Murder combined

It isn’t customary to have suicidal thoughts but many people still have them during the saddest and most depressing phase of their life. Having momentary suicidal thoughts is not necessarily a character defect, and it doesn’t mean that you are crazy, pathetic or flawed. It only means that you are in a state of extreme emotional distress which appears to be permanent. When this happens, it is important to acknowledge that circumstances in life never remain the same, it keeps changing and in time your emotional state will also progress and transform into a positive frame of mind, no matter how hopeless it feels right now.

With timely support and proper guidance, the misery of a suicidal person can be reduced to a large extent.

All you need to do is ask for it

If you are going through a very difficult phase in life which is making you question your existence in this world, the best thing you could do for yourself is to get professional help but if you feel you aren’t ready to take that step, the second best option would be to open your heart out to a family member, best buddy or any other trustable source.

Keep yourself occupied by participating in activities that are emotionally gratifying for you and will keep your mind away from depressing thoughts. Take a break from your routine life and go on a relaxing vacation, if possible with a family member or a friend who could accompany you everywhere. Spend some time exploring the beauty and peace of nature. Spiritual healing therapy is also extremely effective in helping people with suicidal tendencies.

Remember…Depression feels permanent, but it is transitory. Nothing stays the same, not even your feelings. Giving up on life may seem to be an easier option for the moment but your emotional state is bound to get better in coming days, weeks and months.

Free your home from things that you could use to hurt yourself such as pills, knives, razors, or firearms. If unable to do so, go to a place where you can feel safe.

In times of depression, any kind of external help seems feasible which is why most people turn to illegal drugs, non-prescription medication and alcohol for relief. This could be the worst move for your health and wellness. Suicidal thoughts can become stronger when a person is in an intoxicated state.

Seek help from an expert counselor or call a suicide hotline. They are a very helpful resource and can connect you with a therapist who will lend you a sympathetic ear to discuss your problems in a safe environment.

Remember… You are not the only one struggling with suicidal thoughts. At this moment there are hundreds and thousands across the globe who may be going through a similar emotional state. If all things negative in life is what is putting you down at the moment, think about all things positive to look forward to. Think about the people you love the most who would be severely hurt if anything bad happens to you. Think about a beloved pet that needs your love & care for survival. Think about your goals/aspirations that are yet to be accomplished.

Take some time to think about these reasons that would make you want to continue living. Life is beautiful only if you wish to see it that way

Take a good hard look at your life and the people in it. May be it will help you acknowledge that ‘Your Life Means More Than You Think’…!

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of Dementia and affects millions of people worldwide. This disorder is irreparable and destroys the brain cells which not only results in deterioration of the patient’s thinking ability but also causes significant memory loss. Medical research has yet to discover a cure for Alzheimer’s that effectively slows the progression of this disease, although medications can help relieve some symptoms.

Experts believe that age and genetic factors are 2 of the most important risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s. While a person does not have control over the process of ageing and his/her genetics, there are a few modifiable risk factors that could prevent the onset of this disease.

Obesity – Weight gain is the immediate result of unhealthy food habits & lack of physical exercise. A person who is over weight is highly prone to developing High blood pressure and Diabetes, both of which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Head trauma – Studies have revealed that people who suffer severe or repeated head injuries are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease at some point in life. The deposits that form in the brain as a result of repeated head injuries could be blamed for this outcome.

Smoking – Apart from triggering a host of serious health issues, Smoking is also known to trigger Alzheimer’s disease as it disrupts blood circulation in the brain. The results of a significant meta-study revealed that smokers above the age of 65 have approximately 80% higher risk of Alzheimer’s than those who have never smoked.

Heart Disease. – Several studies conducted over the past few years have shown a close connection between the heart heath and brain health. Experts believe that people suffering from a medical condition that damages the heart or blood vessels have the highest risk of Alzheimer’s disease or Vascular dementia. Hence stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart patients should work with their doctor to constantly monitor their heart health and treat any problems that may arise at a later stage.

Lack of physical activity – Regular exercise not only boosts blood circulation but also increases the production of chemicals that protect the brain. Studies indicate that physically active people are less likely to experience a decline in their mental function and therefore are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Lack of Mental activity – Any kind of mental activity that keeps your brain engrossed and functional can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Mental challenges keep your cognitive functions healthy and that helps in making more cell-to-cell connections, which protects your brain against the impact of Alzheimer-related changes. Socially and mentally stimulating leisure activities like playing music, reading, or even playing challenging mind games can put a positive spin on this medical condition and slow down its progression.

Poor Diet – In the absence of a healthy diet, an ageing person’s chances of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s increases drastically. A wholesome diet that enables a person to maintain a healthy body weight reduces the likelihood of developing various illnesses that are linked with Alzheimer’s

Lack of sleep– Amyloid, is a memory-robbing protein, that builds up in the brain of a person who doesn’t get adequate sleep and this protein is responsible for attacking the brain’s long-term memory thereby resulting in Alzheimer’s

Did you know…?

India organ donation rate is one of the lowest in the World.

The plight of those waiting for Organ transplants is not something that is widely reported, yet it is a daily struggle for hundreds of people in India and countless others across the globe.

Of late an Indian Defence Aircraft was used as an Air Ambulance to fly a heart from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi for saving an auto driver’s life. In spite of several public awareness initiatives that are carried out on Organ Donation, there is still a huge gap between patients who need organ transplants and potential donors. It’s not that there aren’t sufficient organs to transplant. Anyone who dies naturally or in an accident is a potential donor. In spite of the fact that India has among the world’s highest number of deaths from road accidents, there is an acute shortage of organs for transplantation

‘Very recently I had expressed my wish to donate my organs after death, to which the response from my elders shocked me to the core. They were absolutely adamant about this and wanted me to do nothing but change my mind, stating that without my organs my soul would be denied entry to heaven’.

This kind of mentality is one of the major hurdles to Organ Donation in India. If people continue to maintain this kind of attitude, the situation is likely to get worse in terms of finding suitable donors. While there is an ample amount of information on organ donation & transplants, there is still a great lack of education & many myths surrounding this subject. As opposed to common beliefs, all major religions in India support organ, eye and tissue donation and see it as the final act of love & generosity towards others. Also, organ donation doesn’t leave a person disfigured. Whether transplanted from a living or deceased donor, this medical procedure is conducted in a very professional manner by highly trained medical experts. During this procedure, the human body is treated with dignity, care & respect hence there is no question of disfigurement.

Finding a donor match is already a tough ordeal, to add to it, bureaucratic hurdles and lack of awareness makes the entire process of Organ transplant and donation even more difficult in our country. Those belonging to the lower middle class income group who wish to donate their organs either do not have sufficient information about Organ donation or are hesitant to take the next step due to lack of awareness. ‘Donor Card’ seems to be an alien term for many who live below the poverty line. Also, not all hospitals in every Indian state, city and village are sufficiently equipped to carry out the complex procedure of Organ Transplantation.

Even if the hospital boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure that is required to carry out complex transplant procedures, sometimes it becomes extremely difficult for doctors to convince the family members to donate the organs of their deceased relative. Even if the family is ready to donate organs, religious superstitions become impediments. Speaking on the same lines, Tina Ambani, the Chairperson of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital states that India lacks way behind with regards to organ donation, as compared to other countries. She also believes that a change of mindset & attitude towards Organ Donation is the need of the hour. To read full excerpts from her interview to TOI,visit: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Major-religions-view-organ-donation-as-charity/articleshow/48338140.cms :

Every year thousands of people die while waiting for a transplant in the absence of a suitable donor. The success rate of organ transplant is high but unfortunately not many people come forward to pledge their organs for the good of an ailing patient.

Lack of knowledge and awareness has paved way for many misconceptions, doubts, queries and reservations about organ donation. Information related to organ donation can be easily accessed on the internet but people are still hesitant to pledge their organs. Pratik Kothari and his family faced a very similar situation when they were first informed about their sister’s (Neha Kothari) medical condition. At the age of 27, Neha had her first baby but was soon after diagnosed with Tuberculosis which further resulted in severe liver damage. Soon she slipped into a coma and was on ventilators. She required an immediate Liver transplant. Although her husband volunteered to donate a part of his liver, he couldn’t do so as he had a fatty liver and that’s when Pratik stepped in and offered to help. Due to lack of awareness, the concept of Living donor liver transplant was completely alien to the entire family. With a lot of support and valuable guidance from Dr. Vinay Kumaran and a team of specialists, Pratik Kothari eventually decided to donate the Right Lobe of his Liver to his sister. Considering the severity of Neha’s condition, this transplant surgery took around 13 to 14 hours for successful completion. Being a healthy donor, Pratik was discharged after a week of surgery but Neha took almost a month for complete recovery. Post surgery, both, Neha & Pratik Kothari are living a healthy life and are extremely thankful to the doctors of Kokilaben Hospital for their incredible support and professional services rendered to them throughout this difficult ordeal.

The opportunity to give someone, the gift of life rarely presents itself and when such a medical emergency arises, the family members are often the first ones to step up and grant any kind of assistance to save their loved one’s life. This is exactly what Mrs. Rukaiya Harianawala did for her mother (Mrs. Rukhsana Contractor) who was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Knowing how difficult it is to find a donor match these days, it was the most disheartening news that she could ever hear when the doctors informed her that a liver transplant was the only hope for her mother’s survival. Luckily, Rukaiya herself was a match and could donate a part of her Liver to her ailing mother. This surgery is amongst the 100 successful transplants carried out by Dr. Vinay Kumaran and his team. Congratulating them and simultaneously expressing her gratitude for the entire team of doctors at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mrs. Rukhsana Contractor states that she is happy to be alive and goes on to mention that she is extremely proud of the fact that her own daughter gave her a second life.

It is common for people to donate their organs in part or full to their ailing relative but there have also been several instances whereby individuals have agreed to perform this noble act for strangers solely on humanitarian grounds.

To conclude, let’s just say that the human body has a remarkable fortitude for receiving organs from a near relative or family member. Organ Donation actually saves lives. This is a simple mantra that we would like to endorse and simultaneously encourage everyone to do their bit in giving someone a new lease of life.

Your organs benefit someone else after your death but your memory will live on for the grateful people who receive your organs.

If you are willing to be someone’s life saver, just give us a Missed call on 08080055555

Or

Click here: https://www.organdonationday.in/

Organ donation has forever been a controversial subject but a selfless act like this can easily tilt the balance of life and death in favor of someone in need. In spite of consistent efforts at public education, there are still a lot of false impressions as well as inaccurate & misleading information regarding Organ donation in our country. The worst part about this entire ordeal is that these misconceptions are often the cause of many people deciding against donating their organs. It’s time to get acquainted with the facts and make an informed decision about Organ Donation

• 1 Organ Donor can save up to 8 Lives and up to 25 different organs and tissues can be donated for transplantation. A person is more likely to need a transplant than become a donor in his/her lifetime
• Thousands of people are on the waiting list for organs, many of which even die during this waiting period.
• Not just adults, kids too require lifesaving transplants but most parents refuse to donate their child’s organs
• While most organs that are transplanted are from deceased donors, patients may also receive organs from living donors. Living persons can donate a kidney, portions of the liver, lung, pancreas, intestines, blood, and still continue to live a normal life.
• People of all ages and medical histories can be considered as potential donors. Even people in their 80’s have donated organs in the past. With recent advances in transplantation, almost anyone can donate an organ. Doctors will analyze the donor’s medical condition at the time of death and accordingly take the final call on the organs and tissue that can be donated.
• Being an Organ Donor has absolutely no impact on the quality of treatment you receive. The donor’s life is as important as the life of any other patient. Just because your organs are registered to be donated doesn’t imply that the doctor’s won’t work hard to save your life. Saving the patient’s life (regardless of whether he/she is an organ donor) is always the doctor’s number one priority
• Organ transplants are conducted in a very professional manner by highly trained medical experts. During this medical procedure, the human body is treated with dignity, care & respect therefore the deceased donor can have an open-casket funeral
• All major religions in India support organ, eye and tissue donation and see it as the final act of love & generosity towards others.
• The donor’s family doesn’t have to bear any expenses for organ or tissue donation. All costs pertaining to the organ transplant surgery will be handled by the recipient’s family or the organ transplant program.

Organ donation is a highly debatable concept, and people are still struggling to come to terms with its religious, social & moral implications in the Indian context. Educating people and spreading awareness about Organ Donation could prove to be very helpful in increasing the numbers of donors in any country.

If you are thinking about becoming an organ, eye and tissue donor after death, don’t let any kind of erroneous beliefs stop you from signing up. Just give us a Missed call on 080800 55555 or visit this link.