Facebook Syndrome: 8 Ways to Beat Your Facebook Addiction

Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, Twitter, Myspace… the list is endless. Millions of us are addicted. The Government tells us that our time wasting internet addictions are costing the country billions of dollars every year. Our productivity at work is dismal because we spend most of the day reading our Fun Wall or checking out our favorite blogs. Can this additive behavior be beaten?

The answer is yes.

In this article I want to give you some simple and concrete ways to beat your time wasting internet addiction.

Facebook Syndrome: How to tell if you are an internet addict

Before we start you need to find out if you are an addict. Once you have admitted to yourself that you are addicted to your favorite website we can go about giving you some solutions for that problem. Here are some surefire signs that you are addicted:

1. You are late for meetings because you are on Facebook
If you ever late for a meeting or an appointment because you were checking your updates on Facebook or watching a related video on Youtube then you know you are addicted. This is classic addict behavior. It is time to get help.

2. You think about it when you are offline
I have several friends who struggle to get to sleep because they are thinking about the latest game or wondering how their website statistics are looking. If you do this then it could be a sign that you are heading towards a problem.

3. Your friends and family comment on your excessive internet use
When other people around you start to notice that you have a problem it is generally a pretty accurate indicator that you are losing it. If your mates, coworkers or family members have made comments about how much you use the net then you need to read the rest of this post.

4. You check your accounts from your Blackberry
A Blackberry is designed as a business tool. It is supposed to allow you to check your important emails and work materials without having to be in the office. It is not for checking Facebook or Myspace updates while you are having dinner with me. That is just not on. If you use your Blackberry for monitoring your social media accounts then you need help.

5. You get stressed when a Facebook “friend” doesn’t add you
Have you ever noticed yourself getting stressed over something that has happened on Facebook or Myspace? Do you ever feel like your online life is more real than your offline life? If you have been stressed about what rapper you turned out as or what magic egg someone sent you then it is time to open your eyes.

The Rise of Psychiatric Diagnoses in Younger Kids

Adults tend to look back on childhood as a carefree time of playing with friends, going to school, and being taken care of. Compared with the concerns that accompany adulthood, being a kid is a piece of cake, right?

So it's shocking to learn that a recent study found that the rate of antipsychotic medications given to kids 2 to 5 years old doubled between 1999 and 2007. Antipsychotic drugs typically are used to treat schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and other severe mental disorders, yet in this study also were given to kids diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorders (such as autism), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and disruptive behavior disorder.

While the number of younger kids affected still is very small, the growing trend alarms mental health experts. The study's authors, for instance, also report that fewer than half of the children in their study had received any mental health services, such as a mental health assessment or treatment from a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

What This Means to You

About 1 in 5 children in the United States has an emotional or behavioral condition, according to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). But these often are problems like anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression, which can respond well to early treatment with gentle, kid-friendly techniques like talk therapy.

Early diagnosis and treatment are key. Parents who worry that their child might be suffering from a mental health condition should first speak with their pediatrician or primary care provider, who can assess the child and then refer parents to a mental health specialist, if needed.

A child should receive a full mental health assessment from a specialist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, before being put on any psychiatric medication, especially one as strong as an antipsychotic. In addition to taking a thorough medical history, the specialist will ask about the family situation and school environment, and if there is a family history of psychiatric problems.

If other options, such as talk therapy and less powerful medications, have been unsuccessful in treating a severe mental disorder, only then should mental health professionals turn to stronger pharmaceutical treatments.

Reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Date reviewed: December 2010

Taken from:

KidsHealth at 

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/issues_2011/2011_psychiatric.html#cat20859

Hysteria Dari Sudut Agama

Pengarang dan di ambil dari:
Dr.Hj Yusni, Pegawai Perubatan dari Jabatan Psikiatri, Hospital RIPAS

The Importance of Mental Health

What is mental health?

Though no concise definition exists, mental health is basically your attitude and approach to life. Psychological, environmental, genetic, or physiological factors have a profound effect on overall mental development.

What is mental illness?

Mental illness impairs your ability to perform routine tasks, foster healthy relationships, or cope with anger or stress. It may be classified on the basis of extreme mood swings, irrational or destructive thought patterns, and behavioral problems.

How important is mental health?

Your mental health has a huge impact on every aspect of your life.

- Self-image
Good mental health means appreciating your achievements and accepting your shortcomings. A mental illness can cause an inferiority complex, a negative body image, and intense feelings of self-hate, anger, disgust, and uselessness, which could mutate into extreme depression, psycho-social disorders, or eating disorders.

- Education
Students with mental problems socially isolate themselves, and develop anxiety disorders and concentration problems. Good mental health ensures an all-round educational experience that enhances social and intellectual skills that lead to self-confidence and better grades.

- Relationships
Mental health largely contributes to the functioning of human relationships. Mental illness can hamper even basic interactions with family, friends, and colleagues. Most people suffering from mental illness find it difficult to nurture relationships, have problems with commitment or intimacy, and frequently encounter sexual health issues.

- Sleep
An inability to handle stress or anxiety can cause insomnia. Even if you mange to fall asleep, you may wake up a dozen times during the night with thoughts of what went wrong the day before or how bad tomorrow is going to be. You may develop severe sleeping disorders which leave you exhausted and less productive.

- Eating
People with mental disorders are more prone to indulging in comfort eating or emotional binges. Finding comfort in food is something we all do from time to time. But with a mental illness, it becomes difficult to control yourself. Overeating can lead to obesity, which puts you at a risk for heart disease and diabetes, in addition to creating an unhealthy body-image.

- Physical health
Your mental state directly affects your body. For example, stress can lead to hypertension or stomach ulcers. People who are mentally healthy are at a lower risk for many health complications.

So make a conscious effort to improve and maintain your mental health.

Original published by: 

tania hackner  at http://www.articleclick.com/Article/The-Importance-of-Mental-Health/941113

How to Recognize the Early Signs of Autism

This video is uploaded by Howcast channel from Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VA6Q3vTC_o&feature=feedlik

2 April 2011: Hari Autism Sedunia

Hari ini merupakan hari mewujudkan kesedaraan mengenai autism sedunia.

Autism adalah istilah yang digunakan untuk mengtakrifkan sekumpulan individu yang mempunyai interaksi sosial yang berbeza daripada kebanyakkan individu lain. Adalah dipercayai autism mempunyai spektrum atau kepelbagaian yang luas, iaitu setiap individu yang ditakrifkan sebagai mempunyai autism mempunyai tahap yang berbeza dari segi mereka berlainan dari masyarakat umum.

Autism disebabkan kelainan pada perkembangan otak orang yang mempunyai autism. Ia juga mempengaruhi cara otak mereka bertindak.

Lebih kurang 1 dalam 100 orang di seluruh dunia mempunyai autism.

Kebolehan intellektual mereka adalah berbeza-beza, dari yang mempunyai kebolehan yang tersangat rendah, hingga kepada yang dapat melanjutkan pelajaran hingga ke tahap tinggi, berkahwin dan berkerja. Lebih kurang 10% dari mereka juga mempunyai kebolehan istimewa seperti bermain muzik ataupun matematik.

Orang-orang yang mepunyai autism, samada kanak-kanak ataupun yang sudah dewasa mempunyai masalah khasnya di dalam 3 segi, iaitu:

1. Berkommunikasi

Ada kemungkinan mereka kurang fasih bercakap, didapati lambat belajar bercakap, ataupun bercakap dengan alunan yang berbeza dari orang lain.

2. Berinteraksi secara sosial bersama orang lain

Ini termasuk kurang bertentang mata dengan orang lain semasa bercakap, tidak mengendahkan orang lain, seolahnya tidak memahami kebiasaan sosial, contohnya terlalu mesra dengan orang tidak dikenali. Mereka juga mungkin tidak dapat membaca perasaan orang lain dengan tepat.

3. Tingkah laku 

Tingkah laku mereka mungkin terlalu memberatkan rutin seharian, contohnya makan pada waktu tertentu, tidur pada waktu tertentu, keluar bersiar pada waktu tertentu, dan jika rutin tidak ditepati menyebabkan mereka sangat tertekan. Mereka sukar menerima perubahan apa-apa pada rutin seharian.

Minat mereka mungkin tertumpu kepada satu perkara seperti elektronik, ataupun mengumpul objek yang biasanya tidak diminati oleh individu lain.

Mereka mungkin terlalu sensitif kepada bunyi-bunyian, ataupun kepada sentuhan. Sesetengah dari mereka suka menyentuh atau membelai objek-objek yang mempunyai rasa yang tertentu seperti bulu-buluan atau pasir.

Mungkin juga mereka berulang-ulang menggerakan anggota badan tanpa sebab.

Apakah sebab-sebab austism terjadi?

Sebab-sebab orang mengalami autism belum diketahui, tetapi ianya ada faktor keturunan dan juga faktor cara pembesaran.


Apakah yang dapat dilakukan?

Autism tidak dapat disembuhkan sepenuhnya.

Cara-cara untuk menolong orang yang mempunyai autism dan keluarga mereka ialah:
1. Memberikan kesedaran dan pengisian tentang autism
2. Memberi sokongan kepada mereka dan ahli keluarga mereka.
3. Mengawal masalah tingkah laku.
4. Mendidik mereka dari segi interaksi sosial, dan dari segi emosi.
5. Kadangkala ubat dapat menolong juga.

Tindakan yang diambil pada peringkat awal adalah lebih baik dan lebih berkesan. Pelbagai pakar kesihatan akan terlibat, seperti speech therapist (untuk menolong perkembangan dari segi kommunikasi), ahli psikologi, occupational therapist dan juga pakar kesihatan kanak-kanak ataupun pakar psikiatri.

Di Negara Brunei Darussalam, autism boleh dikenalpasti di Child Development Centre di Kiarong, selepas mendapatkan surat dari doktor klinik kesihatan ataupun pakar kesihatan yang lain.

Dua pusat untuk menolong mereka yang mempunyai autism di Brunei adalah Smarter dan Learning Ladders. Bagi mereka yang mempunyai masalah tingkah laku yang susah dikawal, ataupun jika mereka atau ahli keluarga mereka mempunyai tekanan yang terlalu banyak, pakar psikiatri di Jabatan Psikiatri di Hospital RIPAS bersedia juga untuk menawarkan bantuan.

(Artikel ini dipetik, diterjemah dan diubahsuai dari: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/mentalhealthandgrowingup/autismandaspergers.aspx)