Therapy can be an effective treatment for a host of mental and emotional problems. Simply talking about your thoughts and feelings with a supportive person can often make you feel better.
It can be very healing, in and of itself, to voice your worries or talk about something that’s weighing on your mind. And it feels good to be listened to—to know that someone else cares about you and wants to help.
While it can be very helpful to talk about your problems to close friends and family members, sometimes you need help that the people around you aren’t able to provide. When you need extra support, an outside perspective, or some expert guidance, talking to someone who has gone through it themselves can help. While the support of friends and family is important, having someone who is a trained listener and who can support solving your mental health problems, can truly be a blessing in life.
Since we all dream to have people in our life who would extend their support when we are in need, I thought of Introducing you to NASSER ALNAAMA. Founder and director at WIDYAN QATAR.
ABOUT WIDYAN QATAR:
We are a team and our experienced facilitators carry out an important role. They hold space, listen, guide, and inspire guests throughout the program.
We help our guests understand how to process difficult emotions, handle projections, surrender, manage expectations, face challenges, overcome fears, embody teachings from meditation, incorporate visionary experiences, and make the journey from the head to the heart.
The facilitators have a full understanding of how growing in a traditional religious background can create deep internal conflicts regarding certain aspects of life.
This retreat will assist you to deal with all the labelling and challenges that occur as a result being part of this culture.
We are deeply committed to our guests’ healing journeys and are passionate about our work.
I’ve known Nasser since a long time. He has been my friend ever since I just began blogging and was still struggling with it. I was totally drawn to Nasser on our first meeting as he was very calm, composed and had authentic vibes, kind body language and an honest smile. “PURELY MY TYPE OF PERSON”. Over the years, I have observed Nasser. He himself has gone through some mental health struggles and has dealt with them. He is actually still fighting with many issues that can cause an unstable mental health. He is very vocal about what he believes in and never shies away from advocating mental illnesses and openly shares his experiences about his journey and about what he is going through.
According to Nasser. ”It is no secret to those who know me personally that I struggle with chronic depression - and I still struggle psychologically, which is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed by.
Depression is a health-related condition, just like any physical health issue.
Keeping silent about it only harms the person in distress and exacerbates their ailment.
It is time for us to work together towards removing the harmful stigma associated with mental health.
It is not a matter that requires modesty, shyness, or fear. Together, we can achieve the desired outcome in dealing with mental health issues in our country to create the needed change.”
When I asked Nasser for some tips on how to deal with mental health issues, that he has personally tried and found useful and would want to share with the readers of this blog, he mentioned some points.
The tips given below are the ones he said works best for him. It’s not the usual thing you read on google or get to hear in an interview from experts but it sounds interesting to me.
-The first thing to do, is to talk about it. Open up to the people you are comfortable with, as the pain of mental illness is worse than physical pain. So acknowledge it before it’s too late.
-Seek professional help, as sometimes, people don’t know they are dealing with DSM (DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDER).
It’s a disease which needs professional help.
-If you are looking for a quick fix to lighten up your mood, when dealing with depression, watching funny videos and movies can help. Some of Nasser’s favorite picks are;
Good Comedy , Ugly Betty, White Chicks and Key & Peele.
-Intake caffeine. The positive effects of coffee (in terms of mood improvement) lie in caffeine’s ability to increase the senses of euphoria and energy. Caffeine helps the brain release DOPAMINE into the prefrontal cortex, a brain area important for mood regulation.
Caffeine may also help the storage of dopamine in the amygdala, another part of the brain important for anxiety regulation.
-Nicotine is bad for the people who go through mental illness. Try to quit. If you can’t, then try to medicate it (with professional advice).
-Massages are good too for some quick relief. Deep tissue massage work really well. One can try Lymphatic Drainage Massage, Ayurvedis type of therapy, Shirodhara massage. Sound therapy is also a good choice.
-Exercising is also highly recommended. Exercising has been proven to improve mental health and mood in individuals and thus is very beneficial when struggling to cope with mental health issues. It also improves your physical health, so, there are many plus points to exercising.
-Any form of self-care, as in; getting a massage, getting a pedicure, getting a manicure, getting a facial, eating your favorite food, meeting your favorite people or visiting your favorite places can also offer some relief.
So, make sure you don’t ignore your mental illness due to societal disapproval. Be an advocate and stand up for yourself and seek professional help when you need it. You can reach out to WIDYAN QATAR for support, understanding, acceptance, and a pathway to access help and support for your mental health.
For detailed information, reach out to NASSER ALNAAMA at widyanqatar@gmail.com
I hope you found this article useful,
Until my next post,
Stay Healthy. Stay Happy.
Gazal.
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