Tobacco is considered to be one of the most important avoidable lifestyle related cause of cancer in the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tobacco use kills nearly six million people worldwide each year. Cigarette smoking is the primary source tobacco consumption in most parts of the world. However, in India we also have other sources like – gutka, khaeni, zarda, etc. in addition to cigarette and bidi that leads to such a huge number of people getting affected with cancer of various types due to use of tobacco in various forms.

This World No Tobacco Day (31st May), we at AKGsOVIHAMS Medical Centres are making an effort to educate our patients and the general population at large to give up tobacco and add healthy years to their life. Here are a few ways to help you live tobacco free for the rest of your life:-

1.  Take the decision to give up tobacco use for yourself. Don’t do it for someone else. Do it for yourself, for your growth and benefit.
2. Take medical help from professionals. Homoeopathic medicines are very effective in helping you deal with the strong cravings and urges you would feel once you stop using tobacco in any form. It is a safe and highly efficient system of medicine to deal with the withdrawal symptoms. In addition, homoeopathic medicine would gradually improve your immunity and thus you will become healthy.
3. Seek help from a Clinical Psychologist as psychological dependence is as strong, if not more, as physical dependence on substances like tobacco. Through Psychotherapy, the clinician would help you deal with the cravings, handle cues or triggers, help you identify the reasons why you use tobacco and thus eventually replace it with a healthy alternative, and help you to understand how your faulty thinking patterns were maintaining the problem of tobacco use. In addition to these, assertiveness training to deal with peer pressure during recovery phase, and focus on relapse prevention are important aspects taken up during the therapy process.
4. Freshen up – Take time to freshen up your home. Wash your clothes, steam the furniture and clean the carpet as the smell of tobacco smoke can trigger cravings. A more pleasant environment will also make it easier for you to deal with withdrawal.
5. Throw away your smoking accessories – The moment you decide to quit smoking, throw away your old ashtrays and lighters.
6. Start exercising regularly. This would help to unclog your blocked alveoli and thus gradually increase your lung capacity. In addition, exercising release endorphins in our body which are our natural stress-killers and thus help in the recovery process.
7. Keep the mouth busy – When you feel strong urge to smoke or take tobacco, use a chewing gum or have some mouth freshner/saunf . This helps to relieve the discomfort.
8. Take a healthy diet and drink lot of water as it would speed up the detox process.
9. In case of a lapse, i.e. if you start taking tobacco again don’t get disheartened. It happens with a lot of people. Have faith in yourself and the reason why you decided to quit smoking/using tobacco. Try again and keep yourself motivated.
10. One day at a time program – Just plan for today, that “Today I will stay away from tobacco.” Take it one day at a time. Just be sober for today, leave the rest for tomorrow and do this every day.

If you or any of your loved one is suffering due to tobacco use, or is wanting to but is unable to leave then you can contact us at AKGsOVIHAMS as we provide a comprehensive treatment through Homoeopathic medications and Psychotherapy for the patient’s overall growth and wellness.

Please watch this video to know how Homoeopathic treatment helped one of our patient at AKGsOVIHAMS to quit smoking.

Psychological testing might sound intimidating, but it’s designed to help you. In many ways, psychological testing and assessment are similar to medical tests. For physical symptoms, a physician might order X-ray or blood test to understand what’s causing those symptoms. The results of the test will help develop a treatment plan. Psychological evaluations serve the same purpose. Psychologists use tests and other assessment tools to measure and observe a client’s behaviour to arrive at a diagnosis and guide treatment.

What makes them different and challenging is that physical symptoms and their causes can be seen by the others, whereas psychological entities like intelligence and personality are not something tangible and thus cannot be seen. They are mostly paper-pencil tests and do not require use of any machines. That is why psychological tests are administered and interpreted only by trained psychologists, mostly Clinical Psychologists

Purpose of Psychological Tests

Psychological tests are administered for a variety of reasons depending on the setting in which they are used. Some of these purposes are:-
• For arriving at a diagnosis
• For analysing the personality dynamics of an individual which helps in understanding and predicting their behaviour pattern
• For assessing the severity of a disorder
• For assessing neuropsychological conditions like Dementia, Traumatic Brain Injury, etc.
• For recruitment purposes in corporate and defence services.

Types of Psychological Tests

• Intelligence Tests: Administered mostly among children and adolescents for gaging their Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Intelligence tests for adults are also available.
• Personality Tests: Personality refers to one’s usual way of thinking, feeling and behaving across settings and situations, which develops based on one’s temperament, past experiences, upbringing, and way of interpreting things. Our personality is dynamic and thus these tests aid in better understanding of the interpersonal and intra-personal dynamics of it.
• Aptitude and Interest Inventory: These inventories help in determining the interest area of the participant and also whether he/she has an aptitude for that particular field.
• Neuropsychological Tests/Battery: A Battery is a collection of tests which are administered together for finding out the structural and functional abnormalities of the brain due to stroke, injury, aging or infection.

Every individual is different and unique, and these psychological tests help in devising individualised treatment plan best suited for the welfare of the patient. They form an integral part of the psychological interventions. At AKGsOVIHAMS, these Psychological Assessments are administered by our Clinical Psychologist Mr. Kaartik Gupta.

Learning to Love Yourself

Love is in the air when it’s the month of February. However, love need not always be about valentines or sweethearts, but also about loving your own self. Feeling loved is fundamental to Health. As much as it is important to be loved by others, we need to love, give time and take care of our own mind, body and soul. In the current stressful, hectic and competitive environment that we live in, the significance and practice of self-love has become more relevant than ever.
Let’s first understand what self-love is all about. In simpler terms, self-love refers to appreciating yourself and treating yourself with kindness, both in thought as well as in your behaviour. Self-love is about respect and taking active measures to protect and nurture yourself. Although it sounds easy, self-love is a practice that can be learned. Practicing self-love promotes both physical and psychological well-being. It boosts self-esteem and makes you aware of your strengths and allows you to be more accepting of your weaknesses.

Ways to cultivate self–love in our daily life:-

• Practice self-care: Taking care of your basic needs is essential to being mentally healthy. Exercising, maintaining proper nutrition, and getting enough sleep all help to improve and maintain good mental health.
• Focus on your needs, not your wants: Practicing self-love means putting your needs ahead of your wants. It is about choosing to do the things that keep you focused on your goals and moving towards a healthier, happier life.
• Forgive yourself for mistakes: ‘To err is human’. Practicing self-love is about learning to acknowledge those mistakes and growing from them.
• Be proactive and set goals: It can be affirming to set a goal, work towards it regularly, and finally accomplish your goal. Setting reasonable, healthy goals shows that you believe in yourself and your ability to grow.
• Protect yourself and your time: A clear boundary around yourself would communicate how you want to treated by others. Most people struggle with setting boundaries, but they are essential for maintaining healthy relationships with the self and others. Boundaries can help prevent a lot of miscommunication and conflict.
• Be true to yourself: Identify, acknowledge and live in line with your own values, principles, preferences and needs.  By acknowledging our strengths and weaknesses, celebrating our personal victories, and asking for help when we need it, we can embody a growth mind-set and have openness and truthfulness in our relationships with others as well as oneself.
• Take responsibility and hold yourself accountable: Self-love involves a lot of reflection, awareness, and humility. When you see yourself for who you truly are in the present moment, you can take accountability for your thoughts and actions.

Loving oneself does not mean you are selfish or narcissist. It just means that you believe you are worthy of love; unconditional love! Your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship you will ever have, as it has direct impact on all your other relationships. As with all habits, practice makes perfect and self-love is something worth practicing as it makes us more resilient in dealing with difficult life situations.