Youth fun-loving tendency: Tracking social media to transfigure lifestyle

Technical innovation facilitated youths to perform complicated activities in easy manner. It is a fact that humans are social beings and communication is vital aspect of their lives. Prominently, communicating over long distances was very difficult few decades ago but due to advanced technology, it is much easier for populace to transmit their message and widen social circle.

Social media has played pivotal role in transforming youth life. It is the interaction among people in which they create, share or exchange information and ideas in computer-generated communities and networks. Several survey reports indicated that sites such as Twitter and Facebook are good enhancements for traditional entertainment. People simply tune into their social media source of choice, and start reading through Tweets and status updates.

It is well observed that there is immense impact of social networks on young people. Children are growing up surrounded by mobile devices and interactive social networking sites such as Twitter,  and Facebook, which has made the social media a vital aspect of their life. Social network is transmuting the manner in which young people interact with their parents, peers, as well as how they make use of technology.

Social media depend on mobile and web-based technologies to create highly communicating stages through which folks and communities share, co-create, discuss, and alter user-generated writing pieces. They introduce considerable and pervasive changes to communication between organizations, communities, and individuals. The increased use of the Internet as a new mechanism in communication has rehabilitated the way people interact. In recent times, various novel means of online communication has emerged with its own set of peculiarities. This new communication style occurs through the use of social networking sites.

Basically, Facebook is the most popular and frequently used social media among teens. 

It is found that teenage girls use social media sites for sharing their views more than their male colleagues do. For their part, boys are more likely than girls to own gaming consoles and play video games.

Social media can help youth to stay connected with friends and family, get involved with a campaign, enhance their creativity through the sharing of ideas, music, and art, and interact with others who share similar interests.

Presently, Social Networking Sites are developing as powerful and matchless tools to share information, shape opinions, connect people across domains and cultures, bring participation, and above all to communicate as never before. Many experts have stated that this technical advancement is just initiation. Social Networking Sites are still at a very embryonic stage and societies across the world are just beginning to understand the prospective of this medium to impact discourse and communication. Social networking sites greatly influence youth in their lifestyle. Social Networking Sites empower youth to raise their voice against social matters and share or upload information for the welfare of the society. Since Social Networking Sites can offer all the ways and means to develop personal and social aspects, the young people have to discover the potentialities of these sites.

It is also observed that it creates negative impacts on youth, but today it is a strong media of communication and no one can think of world without these social media sites. There is a need to well educate people about the use of these sites and must have proper awareness regarding problems of Social Networking Sites.

Social Networking Sites influence the routine of youth so that the brands and companies can exploit the space of Social Networking Sites to create loyalty among youth. Social Networking Sites stimulate a healthy life style through its posts, videos and messages and will help to develop a healthy young group.

Important note: This article is based on thoughts and experience of writer and writer is not responsible for any disagreement.

Fatal disease cholera: An International perspective

Cholera is in an epidemic form of disorder observed by various physicians in the 16th century. A disease is the malfunctioning of the body organs due to several reasons. Cholera is classified as a communicable disease, which is caused due to pathogens, transmitted from one person to another.

Cholera is derivative of a Greek word, which means, "flow of bile". Robert Koch exposed V cholerae in 1883 during an eruption in Egypt. This comma-shaped, gram-negative aerobic bacillus organism varies in size from 1-3 mm in length by 0.5-0.8 mm in diameter. A flagellar H antigen and a somatic O antigen is the antigenic structure of this organism.

Cholera is caused due to strains of the bacterium. The bacterium appears as rod shaped under microscope. When a person is infected by V. cholerae, it occupies place in the small intestine and begins producing an enterotoxin that causes plentiful, painless, watery diarrhoea. This causes the body to discharge an abnormally bulky amount of water into the intestine. The incubation period of Cholera is short, from less than one day to five days.   It results in severe dehydration and death if prompt treatment is not provided. Patients show mostly symptoms of vomiting. Some V. cholerae infected person do not become ailing, even though the bacterium is present in their faeces for 7-14 days. It has been observed that when patient fell with cholera bacteria, more than 90% of cases are of mild or moderate severity and are difficult to distinguish clinically from other types of acute diarrhea. Less than 10% of ill persons develop typical cholera with signs of moderate or severe dehydration (World Health organization).

Cholera is one of the most deadly diseases in its intense manifestation. If instant treatment is not provided, a healthy person may become serious within an hour of the onset of symptoms and may die within 2-3 hours. Cholera is nearly unrivaled in terms of the speed with which it kills. Electrolytes such as   sodium chloride and water are absorbed through the intestines in human body. The Vibrio cholerae bacteria which produces toxin, paralyzes the gut in such a way that intestinal cells secrete water and electrolytes that results in diarrhea and extremely rapid dehydration. It is hard to survive for V cholerae bacteria in an acidic environment. Therefore, any condition that reduces the production of gastric acid increases the risk of acquisition. Although the pathophysiology is not understood, individuals with blood group O are more at risk of developing El Tor cholera.

Populace of world suffers from this disease. Since many decades, Cholera has emitted in a rampant fashion on the Indian subcontinent. Garcia del Huerto, a Portuguese physician at Goa, India, noticed epidemic cholera in 1563. Cholera is transmitted through water, has been proved by John Snow, a London physician in 1849. From the perspective of eagle-eyed observation it is clear that when, during the early 1820s in Russia and then in Western Europe a decade later, cholera first arrived in Europe, no one became aware of what was happening with them.

Cholera was hit with astounding fierceness, petrifying like plague and yellow fever before it, making its way from its origins in India by leaps and bounds along the main routes of commercial intercourse in an imprecise, yet identifiably northwesterly movement. The current seventh pandemic began in 1961 when the vibrio first appeared as a cause of epidemic cholera in Celebes (Sulawesi), Indonesia. After that the disease stretched out quickly to other countries of eastern Asia and reached Bangladesh in 1963, India in 1964, and the USSR, Iran and Iraq in 1965-1966. In 1970, cholera attacked West Africa, which had not suffered from the disease for more than 100 years. The disease speedily swelled to a number of countries and eventually became endemic in most of the continent. In 1991, cholera struck Latin America and was affected by it in many areas. Within the year it swelled to 11 countries, and afterward all through the continent. Until 1992, only V. cholerae serogroup O1 had caused epidemic cholera, large outbreaks of cholera began in India and Bangladesh that were caused by a previously unrecognized serogroup of V. cholerae, designated O139, synonym Bengal.

In Europe, the first wave of cholera had broken without warning, provoking at first reactions that was little more than the application of lessons learnt from past attacks of such kind of disease. In the second phase of cholera, the half-century from the late 1830s up through Koch's discovery of the comma bacillus as the disease's cause and the gradual acceptance in official circles of its preventive implications during the late 1880s and early nineties, a similar process of experimentation, trial and error and the accretion of experience continued. This increase in knowledge, though commonly shared among all nations, did not, however, lead in any automatic sense to uniform and concrete strategies. Different states continued to take divergent approaches to cholera and other contagious diseases. This had resulted into increased differences in national preventive tactics.

A cholera outburst occurred among 90,000 Rwandan refugees residing in temporary camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo in April 1997. It took 1521 lives during the first 22 days. Mostly deaths were recorded outside of health-care facilities.

According to information obtained by UNICEF, nearly 80 per cent of the population in Sao Tome and Principe was at risk from a deadly cholera outbreak. As of today, 131 cases of cholera, including 57 among children, have been reported; three deaths have occurred. Young children are particularly vulnerable to cholera, which causes diarrhoea that can   lead to severe dehydration and even death (UNICEF ).

The disease cholera hit badly in the maze of rivers and thousands of large and small islands that form the delta region of the Orinoco River in eastern Venezuel and five hundred persons died in 1992-1993. According to report, Cholera is uncommon in the United States but frequently observed in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

When Peru was hit by waves of cholera, it rapidly swelled to Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, other South American countries, and Mexico as well. With in six months more than 270,000 cases and almost 3,000 deaths were reported, mostly in shantytowns and poor communities.

Rich communities where proper sanitation and disposal of human waste is maintained remained relatively unharmed. It might be because they could afford the fuel and equipment to heat their food enough. An eruption of cholera came into view from Madras, India, as a result of a new serogroup, O139 (also known as Bengal) in October 1992. This Bengal strain has now extended all the way through Bangladesh and India and into neighboring countries in Asia. This was as an eighth pandemic according to some experts. So far 11 countries in Southeast Asia have reported isolation of this Vibrio serogroup. In 2002, all over the world, Cholera spread caused was by V cholerae 01 biotype El Tor. Same year, statistical data showed a total of 142,311 cases and 4564 deaths in 52 countries. It was doubled the cases reported as compared with 2001.

Angola was severely hit by cholera during June 2006 and reported a total of 46 758 cases including 1893 deaths. Fourteen out of 18 provinces were affected; of all cases, 49% have occurred in Luanda and 17% in Benguela provinces. Even though present trend illustrate a decline in most provinces, daily 125 cases are still being reported. Cholera persists as a severe health crisis in Africa, Asia and Latin America, with as many as 200,000-500,000 cases per year, and mortality rates reaching as high as 20-50%.  There are currently no effective prophylactics, and treatment by oral rehydration is often thwarted by the lack of clean water supplies. Usually, cholera outbreaks occur when the feces of an infected person contaminate the water supply. Others then contact with potentially life-threatening infection by drinking the water or eating tainted food.

Cholera through direct person-to-person contact is hardly ever observed. In extremely endemic areas, generally the disease infects young children.  Breastfeeding infants are safe. The aquatic environment is quite favorable for Vibrio cholerae. It is often associated with algal blooms (plankton), which are influenced by the temperature of the water. Human beings are also one of the reservoirs of the pathogenic form of Vibrio cholerae. Cholera patients show symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. In these persons, speedy loss of body fluids leads to dehydration and shock. The rapid dehydration makes cholera patients weak and thirsty, their arms and legs grow cold and clammy, and powerful cramps seem to shrivel their limbs and tie them in knots. The tips of their tongues and their lips turn blue, their eyes sink back into their sockets, and their skin hangs limply on their bodies. Unless the lost fluid is replaced, consciousness fades rapidly. The loss of fluid leads to anuria, acidosis and shock. The loss of potassium ions may result in cardiac complications and circulatory failure. If the patient is not treated, the person becomes dehydrated, which can lead to kidney failure, shock, and death.

Cholera is diagnosed by the identification of V cholerae in the stool. The organism can easily detected by dark-field microscopy examination of a wet mount of fresh stool; chaotic motility is observed. The serotype may be determined by immobilization with Inaba-specific or Ogawa-specific antiserum.

Cholera can be simply and effectively treated by instant substitute of the fluid and salts lost through diarrhea. Patients are advised to take orally rehydration solution, a prepackaged mixture of sugar and salts to be mixed with water and drunk in large amounts. rehydration therapy prevents dehydration. An ideal oral rehydration solution is the mixture of Sodium chloride 3.5 g, sodium bicarbonate 2.5 g, potassium chloride 1.5 g, glucose 20 g, and sucrose 40 g in one liter of water. This solution is used globally to arrest diarrhea. In Severe cases, intravenous fluid replacement is given. Most effective antibiotic to cure cholera is tetracycline. Antibiotics can shorten the duration and ease the severity of symptoms; rehydration is the crux of treatment. When cholera spreads in a community, the most important preventive measures are hygienic disposal of human faeces, an adequate supply of safe drinking water, and good food hygiene. Food must be well cooked and avoid raw fruits or vegetables unless they are first peeled. All members should wash their hands after defecation, and before taking meals or drinking water.  The publication "Guidelines for Cholera Control", available through WHO's Distribution and Sales Unit, states that " Vibrio cholera 01 can survive on a variety of foodstuffs for up to five days at ambient temperature and up to 10 days at 5-10 degrees Celsius". The organism can also survive at freezing low temperatures; however, this limits propagation of the organism and in turn prevents the level of infectivity from reaching an infective dose.

WHO considers that while importing food from cholera-affected areas, it is important to agree with food exporters, on good hygienic practices which need to be followed during food handling and processing to thwart, eliminate or minimize the threat of any possible contamination and to check thoroughly that these measures are satisfactorily carried out (WHO). To execute awareness program and imparting effective education in environmental control is critical to prevent cholera. Environmental control must focus on safe water supply and proper disposal of human wastes because the bacteria of cholera by nature survive in human excretion and infect the populace through the media of water.

There are proper arrangement of public health planning and in the engineering of water conservation and sewage disposal in developed countries. But developing countries are continuously facing hazards of contamination of water by human excrement due to poor sanitation and improper handling of public services worse the condition further. These populations are constantly experiencing a sequence of infection and excretion. They require effectual education about the sterilization of water and hand-washing techniques, but it is some times difficult because of their inherited bad habits. As a responsible and alert member of society, we must carefully watch and perform some important activities.

We must regularly listen for public health announcements and news and follow the instructions aired. Team of doctors, scientists and public health workers should consciously watch environmental illnesses that might contaminate the food supply. If there is a dilemma, they should conduct advisory session to make public awareness to protect members and their family. Time to time these health organization advertise that if some one is suffering from severe diarrhea or vomiting, he must contact doctor immediately. Whatever be the disease, these symptoms can lead to serious dehydration. To know about Cholera disease and prevent themselves from infection, people must be educated with primary observation in their environment. A suspected case of cholera can be any person with watery diarrhea and depressed eye. Extensive care should be given to such person by providing ORS urgently. Attendants must rush to nearest cholera treatment center. Continuous observation is done for all contacts and household members for any development of diarrhea. The most significant step is burial of persons deceased from cholera. Preferably trained person should perform it. It should be promptly buried after disinfections of the body, beddings and all personal belonging of the deceased.

It is a reality that a healthy person can harbor cholera germs and spread it to people or contaminate food and water when hygienic conditions are poor. After getting news of cholera, one should immediately start taking precautions at individual level, such as boiling water and using chlorine disinfectant in water to control the disease.

Cholera is a worldwide risk and is one of the major sign of societal disturbance.  The disease no longer poses a threat to countries with minimum standards of hygiene; Cholera is ruled as a deadly one in countries where there is improper sanitation and access to contaminated drinking water. Almost every developing country suffers cholera outbreaks or threat of a cholera epidemic. At global level, many regions like Asia, Africa, and South America do not have appropriate sanitation so the disease is still widespread. 

Strengthen memory in examinations

Competitive examination such as UPSC demands some extraordinary preparation. Candidates, who enter in the ground of tough targeted examination, must use a few strategies to improve their memory of important topics or study areas. If we look at the literature or consult experts, we find numerous tested techniques for improving memory. These strategies have been established within psychology literature and offer a number of great ways to improve memory, enhance recall, and increase retention of information. Candidates appearing in UPSC must choose the best of them, which suits to them to improve memory for tough subject matter and groom themselves to crack UPSC examination.

The first and important tip is that candidate must focus his attention on the materials he is studying. Attention is one of the major components of memory. In order to memorize facts, he needs to actively attend to this information. Try to study in a place free of disturbance such as television, music, and other diversions.

The next tactic is to avoid cramming by establishing regular study sessions. Many experts in psychology have stated that studying materials over a number of session’s gives the time to adequately process the information. It has been established that students who study regularly remember the material far better that those did all of their studying in one marathon session.

The third effective guideline is to organize the information, which is to study.

It is better to group similar concepts and terms together, or make an outline of notes and textbook readings to help group related concepts.

Another way to improve memory is to utilize mnemonic devices to remember information. Mnemonic devices are a technique often used by students to aid in recall. A mnemonic is simply a way to remember information. For example, candidate can relate a term he needs to remember with a common item that he is very familiar with.

Candidate should elaborate and practice the study material. In order to recall information, candidate can encode what he is studying into long-term memory. One of the most effective encoding techniques is known as elaborative rehearsal. In this technique, candidate must read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term, and then read a more detailed description of what that term means. After repeating this process a few times, he will be able to recall the information in a better way.

Next effectual way to memorize the matter is to relate new information to things, which is already known to candidate. It can be understood with example. When he is studying unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how this information relates to things that he already knows. By establishing relationships between new ideas and previously existing memories, he can clearly increase the likelihood of recalling the recently learned information.

Memory and recall can be improved by visualizing the concepts. Candidate should pay attention to the photographs, charts, and other graphics in his textbooks. If he doesn’t have visual cues to help, try to create it in unique way. Draw charts or figures in the margins of notes or use highlighters or pens in different colors to group related ideas in written study materials.

In memorizing concepts and tough material, one of the successful ways is to teach new concepts to another person. If Reading materials is reproduced in front of another person, it will definitely improves memory.

It is important to pay extra attention to tough topics in study material. It has been noticed that information at the beginning or end of a chapter is easier to remember.  The position of information can have a great role in recall, which is known as the serial position effect. While recalling middle information can be difficult. It can be overcome by spending extra time rehearsing this information or try restructuring the information so it will be easier to remember. When candidate come across an especially difficult concept, devote some extra time to memorizing the information.

At last, reschedule study routine from time to time. It has been observed that candidate studying for long hours at night may feel monotony and at some stage, he feels that study material is vast and he cannot memorize. This indicates that he needs to change his study time. If he is accustomed to studying in one specific location, try moving to a different spot to study. In this way, candidate can put maximum efforts and significantly improve long-term recall. Writer wishes all candidates for steep success in their career. 

Jewels of elderly people

Elderly age is the enjoyable stage of life ladder. After exhausting through hard work, grooming children and taking care of parents, this life illuminates a bright ray in the soul of humans.

 When people enter to elderly age group, they get numerous advice from experts that now the time has come to concentrate on the spiritual world, live a simple life, follow doctor’s instructions  and guide children. Such traditional concepts people already know and they normally follow. Still people in their old age become depressed, isolated from society and feel that their significance is now diminishing. These thoughts have dangerous consequences not only on their life but it has grave impact on global civilisation.

 It is reputable that old age is quite depressing for some folks. Adjusting to old is very tough due to numerous grounds. They are the community who retired from occupation, lost some friends and relatives. Their physical body condition declines as age grows, and lastly they have less avenues to engross in society. Above these, elderly groups have to adjust with negative stereotypes of old age. It was shown that the status level of people declines in old age.

It is well recognized that in order to retain humanity and build a healthy society, the role of elderly people is marvellous.

I have found some hidden jewels of aged people that they must know, appraise, and gleam to lead a blissful life while continuing to follow their traditional mores.

 1. Recapitulate their accomplishments of life and profession: These achievements will work as incentive and reinforce them enjoy their present status. Some people may experience that they have not accomplished their life objectives and they have none of the achievements. Achievements can be anything in life that delight people or that enhances self-respect. It may be the birth of a child, or a visit to a dream place. Recapping such wonderful experiences makes their life pleasurable.

 2. Unique Endowment: People lead their unique life through donating their ideas and experience to society that really needs it. It does not mean that they must donate huge money to charity organizations or work in NGOs. We are breathing in a technically advanced society and with the advent of internet technology, people have made revolutionary changes in their personal life as well as in professional settings. Elderly people can donate their esteemed esteem advice to candidates or persons who actually seek counselling for improvement. One such way is email donation.  By doing so, elderly people feel real satisfaction and they may develop self-confidence and desire to live in the cosmos.

 3. Breathe parallel with technical progression and engrossed in innovation: Though in old age, the body does not respond well to bear heavy load but enthusiasm to know about technology and synchronize with the newest trend will delight people. In this way, they can equally participate in dialogue with the younger generation. This will make their recognition in youth driven society. Such feelings lessen loneliness also which is the major problem during old age. In old age, people must be in touch with the latest news and share their views in the media, which is a wonderful gift of technological advancement. It will also enhance emotional fitness.

 4. Roll over from childhood: As childhood is an important phase of human life cycle, old age is also spirited for their survival on earth bed. People may never harbour feelings that remain till the end of life. These are the life ladders set by God/ nature and everyone is equipped with adeptness to make a sole contribution to the universe in these ladders. We must have to explore in our inner body those knacks and ready to release the energies for mankind.  As children grow and develop their mental and physical features. Likewise, elderly people may augment their psyche. It is just a matter of sensing those attributes.

In a nutshell, elderly groups are precious for the wealthy growth of the global populace. To retain good quality of life in greying age, many psychologists, such as Ferris and Branston advocated that social network, relationship, and good health are three prime factors. To gain social support, above techniques may prove beneficial.

Note: This article is based on thoughts and experience of the writer and the writer is not responsible for any disagreement.

 

Shouts of AIDS

This story is heart throbbing as well as inspirational for all humans.

This will really stir up to people.

I just entered to my uncle’s house located in satellite colony of city. In the courtyard of my uncle’s neighborhood, a woman was crying with deep sorrow.  I felt restless therefore I asked to my uncle why she was crying. Uncle said, my son, please ignore it. It is a daily affair. I could not continued conversation as my uncle was least interested in discussing about that woman. Till mid night, I heard her tear-jerking sound. I did not know when I slept. In next morning, I woke up at 6.00 AM. I again heard the cries of woman. At that time, I felt some one was brutally beating her. I was very upset. I decided to talk on this issue with uncle because it is inhuman and against law to torture a woman. When I again asked the uncle about that woman, he didn’t take it seriously then I told him that there are strict laws for domestic violence and my friend is well established lawyer.  Ultimately I convinced him to open that issue. He disclosed the truth which was not easily digestible. Woman, Leela, was bahu of that house and she was suffering from STD like disease. Instead of providing treatment, her in-laws kept her separately and charged that she had illegal relationship with the person of her village and she was suffering from AIDS through him. Her husband, Bholla, did not have any physical relationship with her due to her loose character. She was considered as a stigma for that family that’s why she was being punished daily for her act. My uncle further added that all the villagers knew that woman had good character and she was very kind and cooperative but it was their internal affair therefore nobody came forward to shield Leela. Even her maternal relatives left her to live in this hell. I was surprised how parents could react in this manner. But I was seeing the cruelty. I had decided to provide justice to woman.

 I consulted my lawyer friend. At first, he advised me that I should not interfere in this matter because it was family issue and colony members may react shrewdly if some outsiders interfere in their internal matter. But I told my friend that if she has AIDS then she must be treated and if she was not suffering from AIDS, she must be protected. These points can be put in front of powerful entity of village. Lawyer quickly understood the case and he agreed to help me in this matter.  He instructed me to keep an eye of what is happening in that house and observe her husband. I had visited Uncle’s house to spend my vacations. I thought it is the best way to help person in trouble. I started noticing minute movements of her husband and woman. Her husband usually walked around colony and sat on his father’s shop. It was his daily routine. Woman was daily beaten and she had to work for 14 hours a day to get one time meal. Her health was deteriorating day by day. Lawyer took inputs but he was helpless to do any thing because woman’s family said that her bad health was due to AIDS and we do not have enough money to get treatment from expensive hospital.

One day, the limit was crossed. Woman was taken out of the house and women of colony were teasing her for disease and demanding that such characterless woman must be expelled from the society. Woman was continuously requesting to take her to hospital as she did not have any illegal relation with anybody but no one was favoring her. After sometime colony president came and ordered her family to go to health center and give blood sample for AIDS. Her in-laws could not avoid it and they took her to health center for test. Her test result for AIDS was negative but her in-laws did not accept it and regularly exploiting her instead of giving treatment. After sometime, when woman was almost in dieing stage, a team of forest officers came to colony and enquired about her husband. Her in-laws asked what the matter is then they told to family that your son is daily engaged with a female in near forest and we came here to investigate the case. Her family dreaded but all members shield Bholla and justified that due to his wife’s loose character, her husband goes to forest for pray. This plea was unacceptable to forest team.

When the case was severe then colony president requested them to leave Bholla. Forest team returned. After a day or two, when team of doctors came for regular check up for colony members, one female was showing symptoms of HIV. She was immediately taken to hospital for test and that was positive. All members were feared to know this. My uncle’s neighboring woman Leela slowly spoke to nurse that her husband has illegal relations with that lady. Please check up my husband and do test for HIV. Here I was again surprised that a woman being tortured by her husband was begging for his wellbeing. When her husband’s blood sample was tested, it was positive. All colony members were stunned and ashamed for their behavior towards women. Now the scenario was changed. Every member was caring for Leela. She was treated and became healthy but her husband was on bed. May be he was punished for his cruel act. Leela tried her best to save her husband through providing treatment in big hospital. She sold all her ornaments, asked for aid from NGO but she had lost her husband as it is deadly disease. I regularly took update from my uncle about Leela. She suffered a lot in her life. After her husband’ death, one NGO offered her a job of social worker which she accepted and till now she is serving to AIDS people.

Writer’s perception: I came to know the fact that we all have duty to prevent AIDS through generating awareness among people about its consequences. One important thing is that male must not hesitate for medical check up and they should not blame females if they have disease. Illegal relations are established very easily and these relations are just for temporary enjoyment but person may have to pay for it by loosing his/her life. 

Important Note:  This story is penned by Ragini Sinha and hold copy right. Using part or full content is prohibited and infringement of copy right law. Any resemblance is just a coincidence. Writer is not responsible for any disagreement.

Generalized Anxiety disorder: a hallmark of many behavior disorders

Patients with generalized anxiety disorder experience worry or anxiety and a number of physical and psychological symptoms. The disorder is frequently difficult to diagnose because of the variety of presentations and the common occurrence of psychiatric conditions.

Anxiety is a root of many behavior disorders. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses. The principle specific signs of anxiety disorder are intense, observable anxiety and /or fears. Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the case in point of anxiety disorder In this disorder, the anxiety may be persistent and uncomfortably high of most of the time, or it may come as a sudden attack that lasts from a few hours to several days. An anxiety attack makes people thoroughly miserable, force them to the border of panic and upset their health. Often people think that they have a serious medical disorder, for the symptoms often include palpitation, fatigue, blurred vision, sweating, dizziness, headache and so on. There is a sense of foreboding and apprehension mixed with the physical symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is chronic and always anticipating disaster, often worrying excessively about health, money, family, or work. The source of the worry is hard to pinpoint.

Symptoms of Generalized anxiety disorder are as under:

Persistent worrying or obsession about small or large concerns that's out of proportion to the impact of the event

Inability to set aside or let go of a worry

Inability to relax, restlessness, and feeling keyed up or on edge

Difficulty concentrating, or the feeling that your mind "goes blank"

Worrying about excessively worrying

Distress about making decisions for fear of making the wrong decision

Carrying every option in a situation all the way out to its possible negative conclusion

Difficulty handling uncertainty or indecisiveness

Physical signs and symptoms may include:

Fatigue

Irritability

Muscle tension or muscle aches

Trembling, feeling twitchy

Being easily startled

Trouble sleeping

Sweating

Nausea, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome

Headaches

Persons with Generalized anxiety disorder seem unable to calm down, and they may startle more easily than other people. Often, they have trouble falling or staying asleep. GAD doesn’t characteristically avoid certain situations as a result of their disorder. When impairment associated with GAD is mild, people with the disorder may be able to function in social settings or on the job. If severe, however, GAD can be very debilitating, making it difficult to carry out even the most ordinary daily activities.

Tests for generalized anxiety disorder:

To help diagnose generalized anxiety disorder, doctors may thoroughly do a physical exam to look for signs that anxiety might be linked to an underlying medical condition. Doctor also order blood or urine tests or other tests, if a medical condition is suspected

And ask detailed questions about symptoms and medical history.

He/ she use psychological questionnaires to help determine a diagnosis.

Treatment options:

There are two main treatments for generalized anxiety disorder that include:

Psychotherapy: psychotherapy involves working with a therapist to reduce anxiety symptoms of patients. It can be an effective treatment for genera, lized anxiety disorder.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective forms of psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder.

Medications: Several types of medications are used to treat generalized anxiety disorder such as Antidepressants, Buspirone (An anti-anxiety medication), Benzodiazepines.

It is observed that the disorder comes on gradually and can begin across the life cycle, though the risk is highest between childhood and middle age. It can be distinguished from normal anxiety because in GAD, there is avoidance of common social situations for fear of being judged, embarrassed or humiliated and repeated, random panic attacks or persistent worry/anticipation of another panic attack and feelings. They perform uncontrollable, repetitive actions, such as washing their hands repeatedly or checking things over and over whereas in normal anxiety, people suffer sadness or difficulty sleeping immediately following a traumatic event. Patients with generalized anxiety disorder may respond to psychological or pharmacological therapies or a combination of both approaches.

Do not panic when panic attacks occur

Panic disorder can be successfully treated. It happened due to sudden attacks of terror, usually accompanied by a throbbing heart, sweatiness, weakness, faintness, or dizziness. During these attacks, people with panic disorder may flush or feel chilled; their hands may tingle or feel numb; and they may experience nausea, chest pain, or smothering sensations. Panic attacks usually produce a sense of unreality, a fear of impending doom, or a fear of losing control.

 

A fear of one’s own unexplained physical symptoms are also a symptom of panic disorder. People having panic attacks sometimes believe they are having heart attacks, losing their minds, or on the verge of death. They can’t predict when or where an attack will occur, and between episodes many worry intensely and dread the next attack.

 

Panic attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. An attack usually peaks within 10 minutes, but some symptoms may last much longer. Panic disorder affects about 6 million American adults and is twice as common in women as men. Panic attacks often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood, but not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder. Many people have just one attack and never have another. The tendency to develop panic attacks appears to be inherited.

 

People who have full-blown, repeated panic attacks can become very disabled by their condition and should seek treatment before they start to avoid places or situations where panic attacks have occurred. For example, if a panic attack happened in an elevator, someone with panic disorder may develop a fear of elevators that could affect the choice of a job or an apartment, and restrict where that person can seek medical attention or enjoy entertainment.

 

Some people’s lives become so restricted that they avoid normal activities, such as grocery shopping or driving. About one-third become housebound or are able to confront a feared situation only when accompanied by a spouse or other trusted person. 2 When the condition progresses this far, it is called agoraphobia, or fear of open spaces.

 

Early treatment can often prevent agoraphobia, but people with panic disorder may sometimes go from doctor to doctor for years and visit the emergency room repeatedly before someone correctly diagnoses their condition. This is unfortunate, because panic disorder is one of the most treatable of all the anxiety disorders, responding in most cases to certain kinds of medication or certain kinds of cognitive psychotherapy, which help change thinking patterns that lead to fear and anxiety.

 

Panic disorder is often accompanied by other serious problems, such as depression, drug abuse, or alcoholism. These conditions need to be treated separately. Symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness or hopelessness, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, low energy, and difficulty concentrating. Most people with depression can be effectively treated with antidepressant medications, certain types of psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. People with panic disorder have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. During a panic attack, most likely heart will pound and patient may feel sweaty, weak, faint, or dizzy. His hands may tingle or feel numb, and he might feel flushed or chilled. He may have nausea, chest pain or smothering sensations, a sense of unreality, or fear of impending doom or loss of control.

 

Patient may think that he has an anxiety disorder. A physician can determine whether the symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder, another medical condition, or both. If an anxiety disorder is diagnosed, the next step is usually seeing a mental health professional. The practitioners who are most helpful with anxiety disorders are those who have training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral therapy, and who are open to using medication if it is needed. Medication should be taken regularly. Patient must talk to the doctor who prescribed medication before he stops taking it. If he is having trouble with side effects, consult doctor.

 

Many people with panic attack join a self-help or support group and share their problems and achievements with others. Internet chat rooms can also be useful in this regard, but any advice received over the Internet should be used with caution, as Internet associates have usually never seen each other and false identities are common. Talking with a trusted friend or member of the clergy can also provide support, but it is not a substitute for care from a mental health professional.

 

Stress management techniques and meditation can help people with panic attack. Calm themselves and may enhance the effects of therapy. There is preliminary evidence that aerobic exercise may have a calming effect. Since caffeine, certain illicit drugs, and even some over-the-counter cold medications can aggravate the symptoms of anxiety disorders, they should be avoided. Check with your physician or pharmacist before taking any additional medications. The family members can assist in the recovery of a patient. Family members should observe the patient and give report to doctor for improvement in his health.