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Your Parenting Guide

Parenting can be over whelming both in a positive and negative way. If you are a new parent you might be struggling with understanding your child's behaviour and various moods. We understand that it can all get very frustrating and the best solution seems to be yelling at your child. But we have better solutions for you. This guide will help you understand how you can make parenthood a joyful journey and have a beautiful relationship with your child at the same time.

There is no simple way to state the rules of parenting. However, there are certain ways to help you understand parenting better.

There are two main components of parenting styles. One is responsiveness or how much independence you are willing to grant. The other is demandingness or how much strict obedience you require.

Mentioned below are a few parenting types:

Authoritarian Parenting:

This parenting style is characterised by high behaviour control and low parental responsiveness. This type of parenting encourages suppression of emotion while at the same time the parent is aggressive. The focus is on rules and there is hardly any parent child discussion.

Authoritative Parenting:

This parenting style is characterised by high behaviour control and high parental responsiveness. Authoritative parents have a relatively open and flexible mind. They also impose rules but the rules make logical sense. Here, the parents are warm, responsive and strive to meet the child's physical as well as emotional needs.

Permissive Parenting:

It is also sometimes called Indulgent parenting. It is characterised by low behaviour control and high parental responsiveness. This type of parenting encourages free development and independent thinking. The parents are warm towards the child and do not practice very strict control techniques.

Uninvolved Parenting:

Also known as Neglectful Parenting, there is low behaviour control and low parental responsiveness in this type of parenting. Here, the parents usually meet the physical needs of the child but are emotionally uninvolved in the child's life. The parent and the child are distant and disengaged from each other.

Now that we have taken a look at the types, it is clear that for a healthy child and parent relationship there must be a balance on how much control you have over the child and how much you expect from them in return.

We all know that children usually cannot express what they want (which is mostly attention) and end up behaving oddly or throwing tantrums. As parents, we have to understand their behaviour. Here are some Positive Parenting Techniques:

• Identify the issue: There is always something that motivates negative behaviour in a child. Children lack the skills to manage their big feelings or have a desire to get the parents' attention which they cannot express and thus behave oddly. Their behaviour itself is a symptom that they need something from the parent. Once you identify the issue, you can become a more proactive parent and stop the outbursts from happening. For example - If you have to take a call in 30 minutes, it is a good idea to spend those 30 minutes playing with your child and giving them undivided attention. By doing this, you reassure your child that you are paying attention and also make sure that they don't disturb you while you are on the call.
• Be Consistent: Parents, consistency is key! While you can never be sure of a kid's mood swings, it is also important to remember that you being the parent have to discipline the child. Having a routine or schedule is always a good idea. If the morning routine for your child is to make the bed, brush their teeth and dress up before breakfast, try to maintain this routine everyday. It is also best to have some firm technology rules for the children like giving them a time limit on how much time they can spend playing video games or surfing the internet etc.
• Change your methods Focus on disciplining and not on punishing. Let's first see the difference between the two. Discipline means "to train by instruction" and Punish means "to handle severely" or "to inflict penalty for". Teaching the child appropriate ways to behave by explaining to them and talking to them is better that using blame and shame. By disciplining the child, we empower them to become competent and capable adults. Studies show that strict punishment can lead the child to have negative emotions, feel low self-esteem and lack confidence.
• Say no to Rewards: Think of it this way. Parenting is a 5k run not a 100m race. So, as a parent you will benefit from thinking long-term instead of short term. Today if you offer your child an ice-cream for eating his vegetables, or a cookie for being well-behaved at the store, it is possible that your child will expect this the next time as well. Your child might not eat his vegetables until he is offered an ice cream. Using rewards might seem like a good thing to do but it is a slippery slope. You can instead use words of encouragement like "Well done" or "Mummy is so proud of you".

Yes. We know, its not a cake walk. So, here are some small tips to keep in mind:

• Talk to your child at their level.
• Explain and help them learn from their mistakes.
• Be loving and firm.
• Tell them what they should do instead of what they shouldn't do.
• Keep the promises that you made to them.

We believe that when you become a parent, its not just the child that grows, you grow with the child too. Happy Parenting!

Let's Help You Overcome Workplace Depression

It’s a Wednesday morning and you drag yourself out of bed after snoozing your alarm for the 20th time. You know you're running late for work so you rush and make it just in time for the morning meeting. After the meeting, your boss gives you another 5 files to work on and expects you to turn them in by the end of the day. You sink into your chair thinking about how you would rather be on a beach or a hill station enjoying a holiday. You start to feel jittery because of all the work and gulp down 3 cups of coffee to calm your nerves. Most of the times you feel low. The football match which you used to enjoy before, watching it for straight 90 minutes is a task. When you joint the workplace you were the most energetic person around, but now you struggle just to complete your work. With this comes guilt, regret, negative view of future, disturbed sleep and appetite.

If you relate to this story, chances are that you are not happy with your work life. If these symptoms are a daily occurrence, you might be suffering from workplace depression.

Workplace depression has become an area of increasing concern over the past few years. It affects a person's thoughts, feelings, abilities and behaviour. It not only decreases the happiness and productivity of the employee but also of the whole team. Many companies incur huge losses in absenteeism and lack of interest towards the work by their employees.

The general problem is that many people do not know that they are suffering from depression, and even if they see the symptoms in themselves, they try to hide it from other co-workers or employers. This is due to the stigma around mental illnesses, the fear of losing their jobs and financial instability.

If you see your employees or co-workers demonstrate the following signs, they could be suffering from depression or other mental illnesses.

Increasing frequency of sick days:

If you notice them taking too many sick days and they refuse to tell you the issue even in confidence, they might be suffering from depression. Sometimes common cold, flu and stomach aches are also symptoms of stress.

Decreased motivation:

Depression is usually accompanied by loss of motivation. If your employee or co-worker looks less enthusiastic than usual, they might need help.

Change in social behaviour in workplace:

People suffering from depression often develop a change in social behaviour. Those who are sociable withdraw themselves from friends and colleagues.

Incomplete tasks:

Memory loss or lack of interest can be a sign of depression. If your colleague is failing to accomplish assigned duties on time, he could be showing signs of depression.

Fatigue or excessive yawning:

Lethargy is one of the symptoms of depression. Notice if your co-worker is looking more tired than before with circles under their eyes and if they are yawning excessively at work.

Under these circumstances, it is important to create a happy workplace. A workplace should be such in which the employees find the opportunity to socialise, a sense of accomplishment and a source of happiness.

Here are some conditions needed to ensure happy and healthy employees:

• Good working conditions like adequate light, clean air, comfortable temperature and minimal noise.
• Opportunities for employees to use and develop their skills.
• Supportive bosses who don't bully or criticize the employees.
• Set clear performance expectations and support to meet those expectations.

As an employer, here are some things that you can do:

• Set up an Employee Awareness Program with psychologists and experts to help your employees.
• Take frequent feedback from your employees and improve where needed.
• Give time to your employees for some recreation.
• Incentives to keep the employees motivated and to appreciate them for their work.

As an employee, some things that you can do are:

• If you see your colleague showing signs of depression, offer to help.
• Show them respect and listen to them non-judgementally.
• Make them aware of their value in the workplace.
• Give them assurance that there is help and hope.
• When your co-worker returns to work after taking a few days off due to mental illness, make them feel welcome and appreciated.

Depression and other mental illnesses can be treated. It is not something that you should hide or be afraid about. Seek help and offer help to anyone you think might need it.

Stress Management

Can there be specific symptoms of stress?

Stress has both physical and psychological symptoms. Physical symptoms fatigability, headache, gastrointestinal disorders, stomach upset, constipation, tense muscles, insomnia, frequent infections etc. Psychological symptoms range from increased irritation, frustration, burnouts, anxiety, and low mood, loss of concentration and memory, mood swings, repetitive compulsive behaviour.

What causes stress?

Life demands both external and internal which stains the individual can produce physical or psychological stress. Life situations like work pressure, family issues, financial troubles, poor physical health can produce stress. At the same time, internal situations like pessimism, rigidity, guilt or regret, perceived competition can lead to stress.

How do I deal with stress?

Some life style changes in collaboration with psychotherapy can go a long way to manage stress in day to day activities. Seeking professional help is a good first step in managing your stress instead of trying to do it on your own.

Do I need to change my job if I want to manage stress?

In some cases, where the work place is the major cause of stress in individual’s life, your professional may coach you through a career switch but the decision solely lies with the patient.

The modern age addiction

What is Internet Addiction?

To begin with, there is no clear definition of Internet Addiction. However, if we were to generally describe it - it is a behavioural addiction in which a person becomes heavily dependent on the use of internet, or other online devices as a maladaptive way of dealing with life's stresses.

It is also sometimes called - Computer Addiction, Problematic Internet Use (PIU) or Compulsive Internet Use.

But I like using the internet and I use it a lot? Am I an Internet Addict?

The internet is a great place with lots of information and scope to learn. It is also crucial in today's world for students, teachers, parents and office goers. But just because you use the internet for watching videos online, for shopping or checking social media, it does mean you are suffering from Internet Addiction Disorder. The problem comes when these activities start to interfere with your daily life. An Internet Addict will have problems filling personal and professional obligations because of their online activities. It can cause a strain on their relationship with their family and friends.

So how and when can I know that my friends, children or I am suffering from Internet Addiction Disorder?

Internet Addiction is not formally recognised as an addictive disorder, so it can be difficult to diagnose. However, you can find out if a person is suffering from Internet Addiction Disorder if you see these symptoms.

• You have thoughts about previous online activity and anticipation of next online session.
• Increased use of internet results in a feeling of satisfaction.
• Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to control, cut back or stop internet use.
• Feelings of irritation, restlessness, moodiness and anger in absence of internet or when trying to cut down internet use.
• Sleep deprivation and exhaustion from staying up too late on the computer.
• Grades and other achievements may suffer from too much attention being devoted to internet use.
• Little or no energy for anything except computer use. Apart from these, there can also be some physical symptoms like:
  • Backache
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Failing to eat or eating excessively to avoid being away from computer result in poor health.
  • Dry eyes or other vision problems.

Is there anything else I should know about Internet Addiction?

There are 5 types of internet addiction that can affect you based on your age, interest and peer pressure.

Cyber sexual: Cybersex and internet pornography.

Mostly people who are either too burdened with their work or are bored experience this.

Net compulsion: Online gambling, shopping or stock trading.

Recently retired persons who are looking for "thrill" may experience this.

Cyber-relationships: Social media, online dating and virtual communication.

The younger generation because of peer-pressure or to create their own image experience this.

Gaming

This again affects the younger generation.

Information seeking: Web surfing or searches

This affects all age groups alike. Sometimes, we get carried away with all the information online and lose track of time which can negatively affect us.

What are the treatment options that I can take for Internet Addiction Disorder?

Like any other problem, the first step is to recognise the problem. If you do not believe that there is a problem, you will never seek a solution. There has to be insight about the problem, and a willingness to change.

Since this is the internet we are talking about, the opinion is always divided between how much usage is too much usage and whether or not a treatment is even required. Some people even believe it to be a "fad illness" which can resolve itself. But when it comes to children, this approach hardly ever works unless we put some corrective measures in place.

• There are some software that can be installed to control the Internet use and the types of sites that can be visited. It is advised not to eliminate the use of internet completely.
• There is also recreational therapy which can help reduce screen time.
• Physical activity and games are found to be highly effective in reducing screen time.
• Self-assessment is another way to control internet use like keeping track of non-essential internet use and making a list of all the things you enjoy doing that do not include using the internet.
• Medications may be used to manage symptoms of any underlying mental illnesses and to control thoughts about going online.

What can my next steps be?

If you recognise the symptoms of Internet Addiction in yourself or your dear ones, reach out for professional help. Internet Addiction can have devastating effects on individuals, families and particularly teens and growing children. Getting help may greatly change the quality of life.

Do I really need couple therapy as sometimes I can manage things on my own?

There is no right or wrong time in seeking help from a therapist but the sooner the better it is. Some people seek therapy only when things have gone out of their hand, when the pain and hurt is too much and mostly when they have already lost all the hope in a relationship. They seek therapy as the last resort. It is wiser to seek therapy when you recognise repetitive negative patterns in your relation. In spite of your and your partner’s best effort, when you are not able to reach a solution or goal which you set in the relation, one must seek professional guidance from a therapist.

I don’t think that my partner/spouse will agree for couple therapy.

This is true most of the times that one partner is very eager to take therapy while the other wants to avoid it. An open and positive communication between the partners can help solve this conflict. Instead of blaming everything on the on the other partner the responsibility of the problem should be shared. (“You are responsible for our troubles……” “I know we both have done some mistakes but they can be resolved if we make an effort”). If the partner is communicated of a positive future, hope for a better life, with the help of a third professional perspective then the conflict can be resolved. It is of vital importance once both partners have agreed for therapy, they mutually decide on a therapist.

What’s the difference between couple/marriage counselling and marriage/couple therapy?

In marriage counselling the job of the counsellor is to facilitate a smoother conversation between the partners. The counsellor works as a mediator and addresses the current issues which the couple is facing. He focuses more on the “how” aspect of issue. The counsellor and couple can mutually decide on some rules which will result in facilitating communication and understanding between the partners. Whereas, couple/marriage therapy is conducted by a licensed professional, where he focuses on the “why” of the issue. He goes till the roots of the problem, discusses early childhood, parenting, mental health, personality of both the partners and figures out from where the difficulty is arising which effects the other partner. Instead of a random approach, therapist in couple therapy have a very organised treatment plan. After taking the entire case history an objective is set and then mutually a treatment plan is decided on which will help change particular behaviours there after improving the relation.

Is my therapist right for me?

There are few questions you can ask for example: do you feel comfortable and safe with the therapist? Do you feel your therapist understand you well? Do you feel your therapist is unbiased and handles everything professionally? Has the therapy so far been helpful for your relationship? Can you trust your therapist with all the details of your marriage or relation?

ANXIETY

What is the difference between stress and anxiety?

Stress is the strain or pressure while can be both psychological and physical which a person goes through when he is in challenging or dangerous situation Stress is body’s reaction to a trigger and is generally a short-term experience. Positive stress is called eustress e.g.: when a father is stressed due to preparation of daughter’s marriage, when you finish your project last minute, and negative stress is called distress which happens when we perceive some threat to us and it leads to insomnia, poor concentration, poor memory etc.

On the other hand, anxiety is a sustained mental health condition which can be triggered due to stress and it doesn’t fade away once the situation has changed.

What are different types of disorders due to anxiety? How can we diagnose it?

There are different types of disorders that can occur due to prolonged distress and anxiety and in some cases depression also coexist. The different types of anxiety disorders being:

• Phobic anxiety disorder: here anxiety is evoked only in well-defined situations or through objects. Which are not dangerous but the patient tries to avoid at any cost. They are divided into different category like social phobia, agora phobia, and specific phobia.
• Panic disorder: Recurrent attacks of severe anxiety can take place, which can happen at any place and time, therefore can’t be predicted. Symptoms like palpitation, dizziness, choking sensation, feeling of unreality, and fear of dying, losing control are common.
• Generalised Anxiety disorder: also called free floating anxiety. As the name suggests it is generalised and not specific to situations. The anxiety is normally for day to day activities.
• OCD
• Post-traumatic stress disorder: this is the disorder where the patient is unable to recover after going through a threatening or dangerous situation which was catastrophic in nature example natural or manmade disasters like terrorist attack, violent death of a closed one, rape, accident etc. symptoms may include episodes of repetitive reliving of trauma, flashes from the past, numbness etc. These symptoms can lead to negative changes in thoughts and mood and can cause significant problems in social or work situations and in relationships.
• Dissociative disorder: a person experiences a disconnection or lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, actions and his surroundings. Previously it was called hysteria but that terminology is no longer used. Dissociative disorders usually develop as a reaction to trauma and helps to suppress the difficult memories. This could be an unconscious way of dealing with extreme stress which the person is going through. Types comprise of : dissociative fugue, dissociative amnesia, France and possession disorder, dissociative stupor, dissociative disorder of movement and sensation, dissociative identity disorder, multiple identity disorder (split personality)

My physician says I have an anxiety disorder? Whom should I see next?

Initially a family doctor or general physician can help you in identifying if you are suffering from any kind of anxiety disorder. If the diagnosis is done properly then he can refer you to a clinical psychologist. The clinical psychologist can administer some psychological tests to check the severity of anxiety and understand the entire case history. After that a proper treatment plan would be discussed between the professional and patient. If anxiety is severe he can further refer you to a psychiatrist to give medications. A collaborative treatment plan of medicines and psychotherapy gives the best results.

Are there different therapy plans for different anxiety disorders?

Yes, according to the case history and symptoms a proper treatment plan is made. There are a variety of therapies which a professional gives depending upon the diagnosis. For example to treat phobic anxiety disorder the therapist may choose systematic desensitisation plus muscle relation techniques can be used, for OCD a combination of ERP and CBT is the first line treatment, For PTSD eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing + CBT May be used, dissociative disorders are best treated by self-hypnosis and interpersonal therapy. Kindly seek a licensed professional only to get help instead of seeing videos online and administering the therapies on yourself or with someone who isn’t a professional.

Understanding Depression

“Depression”, the word we use so causally now a days. We use the word even when we are having a bad day to when we feel absolutely hopeless, worthless and helpless. It’s very hard to point out the specific day and time when depression started. It slowly starts growing on the person and takes him or her in its grip. We tend to ignore all the small changes and signs, naming it “mood swing” or “stress” and then comes the day when we finally cannot ignore it anymore.

Clinically the primary symptoms of depression are low mood, increased fatigability and loss of interest in pleasurable activities. And the secondary symptoms comprise of sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, excessive guilt and other negative emotions, pessimistic view of future, loss of concentration and attention, increased anger, irritation and frustration. Everything seems to be too hard. All the things that one enjoyed doing previously, doesn’t feel like doing anymore. They even wonder that how they were so energetic before, how they used to be so happy before. They feel they can never be happy as sadness or the low mood has become the insuperable part of their life, even if everything is going on good around them still they don’t feel good or happy about it.

Sleep looks like the best solution for all the problems. That’s why it’s so hard for them to leave their beds in the morning. It’s difficult to make people understand about what they are going through as their friends and family members would always suggest them to change their lifestyle, or go and meet new people, divert their minds and so on. But all these tasks no matter how small they are from cutting vegetable or washing the car to see a face to face counsellor near me (you), seems to be so huge, that it looks like mount Everest to conquer.

What is depression?

Depression initially is a reaction. A reaction to stress, which one is not able to cope up with. A reaction to changes where one is not able to adjust. Reaction to culture shock, or a change of place people and environment. Depression is when person is not able to take more of what life has to offer anymore. It is anger to some injustice which he or she or someone close to them might had to face. It also might be some regret or a grudge which one has been holding since long. It can also be a reaction to a situation where one didn’t get a proper closure, in a break up, or death of a loved one. It can be a reaction towards rejection and biasness. These are only a few situations which was on the top of my head, depression is all of this and much more. We never know when it slowly starts to grow on us.

If you are able to relate to any or most of the situations, the first and the most crucial thing is to realise and accept that its okay to have depression and do not to get depressed about depression. It’s okay not to feel okay. Don’t judge yourself, or try to push yourself too much.

Secondly, give yourself time. Just the way it slowly grew on you, it will take time to slowly disappear too. There won’t be a fine morning when you will start feeling better automatically (even though there are days when you actually feel better for some time), but you need to make small efforts if you really want to get out of it. Just because a better and happier future doesn’t seem possible to you, don’t stop making small little efforts to make it alright, because take it from me it is possible.

Thirdly, no matter how hard it sounds, but seek help and it’s absolutely okay to seek help. No! You are not weak. Confine in someone whom you trust, a family member, a friend, or even your doctor or psychotherapist. Talk to them and let them help you. It might sound very tiring, to narrate your entire story to someone new or to a stranger, but imagine about the happy and beautiful life which is waiting for you.

No matter how hopeless you feel right now, but as long as there is life, there is hope. Lots of people have in the past and is still going through depression. But because of their small efforts and with the help of a professional they have been able to cross the dark tunnel. If you feel that you need help, and if these words were able to encourage you even 1%, take your phone and search depression counselling in Kolkata (or any other part of world) now!

Hope you feel better soon…

Under weight/over weight/ or just perfect ?

Eating disorders are just not a lifestyle choice or phase. They are mental disorders which affect people physically and psychologically, and if become severe may also lead to death. It’s vital for us to first have complete information about eating disorders so that we get better ingest and take initiative towards dealing with it. It’s seen that eating disorders are more common amongst women than in men and in adolescents.

Some of the common eating disorders are:

1. Anorexia Nervosa: people suffering from anorexia nervosa are obsessed with their body weight in extreme. They restrict their calorie intake, they are very selective in choice of food which they consume. They are underweight yet they are consistently worried about gaining weight. They constantly deny that they are underweight infect being this way helps them maintain their self-esteem. Some individuals restrict their food and on the other hand there are people who would binge eat first and then purge it all out by vomiting, taking laxatives or doing extreme form of physical exercise to burn the calories. These activities may sever damage their physical health by causing thinning of bones and hair, making teeth and nails break off easily and in extreme cases may cause heart brain and multi organ failure causing death.
2. Bulimia nervosa: this is another eating disorder which is more common in women and adolescents. Here people eat unusually large amount of food in a very short span of time. The patient usually reports that they find it difficult to stop eating once the binge eat episode begins and they keep eating until they feel painfully full. Once they are full they purge the food out to balance their calories and relieve their stomach discomfort. Even though the symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa and anorexia nervosa is similar, people with bulimia nervosa have normal weight unlike the excess underweight of people with anorexia nervosa. Because of the repeated vomiting and purging patters, people with bulimia nervosa get swollen food pipes and salivary glands, severe dehydration, tooth delay, and in severe cases the imbalance in body levels of electrolytes may cause stroke or heart disease.
3. Binge eating disorder: It was recently recognized as an eating disorder. Like other eating disorders this too begins in adolescent’s bad early childhood. The way it is different from other eating disorders is people who do binge eating do not try to purge everything out as a result of which they are overweight and obese.
4. Pica: this eating disorder doesn’t involve food, instead people eats and crave for non-food substances like dirt, soil, cloth, wool, hair, pebbles, laundry detergents etc. onset can be as early as early childhood to adult life. People with this eating disorder faces various physical problems like gut injuries, infections, poisoning, mal nutrition etc. if eating the non-food substance is accepted by their society and culture of the person then it is not considered pica.
5. Rumination disorder: people with this eating disorder regurgitates food which they have eaten in the past 30 mins, re chews it and after that either swallows it or spits it out. The entire process is done voluntarily. Infants tend to develop this between 3 to 12 months of age which usually disappears with time on its own. It can also develop during childhood and adulthood. It not treated it may lead to malnutrition and weight loss.
6. Avoidant or Restrictive food intake disorder: generally develops during infancy and childhood but may also persist into adulthood. Unlike other eating disorders, which were more common in women, this disorder is common in both males and females. People with this disorder restricts the food or avoids it due to lack of interest in eating or because they repel from certain smells, colours, temperature, taste, texture etc. because of this symptom these people are underweight and have malnutrition, they also avoid social gatherings or meetings people because of their this condition.

Treatment

Step 1: Insight and acceptance

First and foremost is not to listen to your brain which tells you that you would be happy only if you lose weight instead you should try to listen to what your body is saying to you and meet its demands. First and foremost it is vital to have intellectual and emotional insight about the problem. To get the understanding that weight has nothing to do with confidence, self-esteem, and happiness. Self-love is what is required. And self-acceptance is of utmost importance.

Step 2: Confine

Seek help from someone in your environment. Someone who would understand your feelings and not judge you. This step might be hard for the patients to take but remind yourself that is is a very important step towards recovery. The person in whom you can confide could be your mother father, friend, school counsellor, or a po=rod=fissional clinical psychologist. One the patient is able to confine in someone, they should explain the entire problem patiently to the person as they might not be able to able to relate to the problem instantly. They might also have their own emotional reaction and lack of information. Once they are able to digest the problem, the patient should be specific about the kind of help he is looking for from the confidant.

Step 3: Selecting your team of doctors

When we talk of treating eating disorders, there are many aspects we need to convert starting from medical consequences, malnutrition and emotional consequences. It is important to have a team who are expert in each field and can take care in the best way. A team of physicians, nutritionist and clinical psychologist collaborating together may work best in treating eating disorders. First priority should be given to all the health related issues. All the physical problems which the person might be going through due to purging, binge eating, overweight, and pica should be addressed first.

Step 4: Therapy

Once all the psychical symptoms or issues related to physical health is taken care of, a long term recovery plan can be decided mutually with other team. There are different forms of therapy which will help the patient to reach to the root cause of their disorder, improve self-esteem, and teach healthy ways to cope with stress and emotional pain. Family interventions are also a part of the therapy process where family members can also get an insight about the problem and collaborate work with the therapist and help the patient recover from eating disorder. Family therapy may also help them develop better relationships amongst family members which can be therapeutic element in the recovery process. Furing therapy the patient will learn how to deal with stress and other pressing situations effectively. Also they will learn to develop balanced relationship with food so that, patient can let go of rigid eating rules, choose proper and balanced meal, stick to regular eating patterns and learn to listen to bodily needs by not pushing the body to do anything in extreme. Very initial role of the therapist is to help patients gain back their confidence and self-worth. Help them to accept themselves the way they are. Last but not the least therapy would also help the patient to manage relapse by developing solid support system helping the patient and the family identify the triggers which may lead to relapse and keep sticking to the action plan.

Step 5: See a dietician

With the help of dietician patient can learn how to develop healthy eating behaviors in their everyday life over a period of time. They teach the patient to develop healthier relationship with food.