Category: Wellness

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Wellness

Nicotine Effect on Sex Drive: What You Need to Know

Nicotine is a powerful and addictive substance frequently present in cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and various tobacco-based products. While many people understand its impact on the lungs, heart, and overall health, fewer are aware of the nicotine effect on something more personal — sexual drive and libido.

If you’ve noticed changes in your desire, performance, or satisfaction and you’re a nicotine user, this post breaks down how and why nicotine might be playing a role. Whether you’re looking to improve your intimacy or achieve better sexual health, understanding this connection is a powerful first step.

What Is Nicotine and How Does It Work?

Nicotine is a stimulating substance that impacts the central nervous system by altering brain activity and nerve responses. When consumed, it rapidly releases dopamine — the “feel good” chemical — giving users a temporary sense of relaxation or alertness. While this may sound harmless, the long-term consequences are far from it.

How Nicotine Affects Sexual Drive

Let’s explore how nicotine interferes with the body’s natural sexual response system:

  1. Reduced Blood Flow

One of the most direct ways nicotine impacts sex is by constricting blood vessels. Reduced blood flow to the genital area can impair arousal, sensation, and performance.

  • In men, this often leads to erectile dysfunction (ED)
  • In women, reduced blood flow can cause lower sensitivity and difficulty reaching orgasm

This physiological response is one of the clearest examples of the nicotine effect on sexual drive.

  1. Hormonal Disruption

Nicotine can disrupt hormone levels, particularly testosterone — a hormone crucial for libido in both men and women. Low testosterone is directly linked to a reduced sex drive and energy.

  1. Psychological Impact

Chronic nicotine use is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression — both of which can significantly affect sexual drive. Mental well-being significantly influences both sexual arousal and emotional intimacy.

Long-Term Effects on Libido

Over time, nicotine doesn’t just affect arousal; it alters desire entirely. Many long-term smokers report:

  • Less interest in sex
  • Decreased physical pleasure
  • Performance anxiety
  • Emotional disconnection from partners

This decline isn’t just physical — it becomes deeply psychological. For anyone seeking better sexual health, quitting nicotine is one of the most beneficial choices you can make.

Does Vaping Have the Same Nicotine Effect?

Vaping is often seen as a “safer” alternative, but it still delivers nicotine to your system. Even without the tar and toxins found in traditional cigarettes, the nicotine in vape pens can cause similar vascular and hormonal damage.

Bottom line: vaping can still reduce libido and impair sexual performance.

The Benefits of Quitting for Better Sexual Health

The good news? Many of nicotine’s sexual side effects are reversible.

Within weeks of quitting, you may experience:

  • Improved blood circulation
  • Boosted testosterone levels
  • Increased libido and desire
  • Better stamina and sexual performance
  • Greater emotional connection with your partner

In fact, studies show that people who quit smoking report higher satisfaction in their sex lives compared to those who continue.

Tips to Rebuild Libido After Nicotine

If you’ve decided to quit and want to support your sexual recovery, consider these tips:

  1. Exercise regularly – Boosts circulation and testosterone naturally
  2. Eat a balanced diet – Focus on heart-healthy and hormone-supportive foods
  3. Prioritize quality sleep – Inadequate rest can lower testosterone levels and decrease libido.
  4. Manage stress – Meditation and therapy can help regulate mood and desire
  5. Stay nicotine-free – Avoid relapse to allow your body to fully heal

Final Thoughts: The Link Between Nicotine and Libido

The connection between nicotine and sexual drive is real — and more serious than most people think. While nicotine provides temporary stimulation, its long-term effect is a steady decline in sexual function, hormone levels, and desire.

Whether you’re looking to build a healthier relationship, improve performance, or simply achieve better sexual health, removing nicotine from your life is a powerful move. Your body — and your partner — will thank you.

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Wellness

Surviving a Toxic Work Environment: Tips for a Healthier Career

Since most of our waking hours are spent on the job, the quality of our work environment plays a significant role in our overall well-being. While a positive workplace can inspire creativity, productivity, and fulfillment, the opposite can lead to burnout, stress, and declining mental health. If you’ve ever found yourself dreading Monday morning or feeling emotionally drained after a day at work, you might be dealing with a toxic work environment.

What Does a Toxic Workplace Look Like?

A toxic work environment is characterized by a constant presence of negativity and unhealthy behavior. It may include poor leadership, lack of communication, favoritism, unrealistic expectations, or constant stress. The environment can leave you feeling unappreciated, ignored, or even intimidated.

Many people recognize these patterns only after months or years of discomfort. That’s why it’s helpful to be aware of early warning signs. If you’re wondering what to watch out for, here are a few toxic work culture examples:

  • Consistent negativity: Frequent complaining, blaming, or gossiping among team members
  • Micromanagement or complete neglect: Managers who either over-control or offer no support at all
  • Lack of recognition: Good work goes unnoticed, and efforts are rarely appreciated
  • Poor work-life balance: Long hours are normalized, and taking time off is discouraged
  • Unclear expectations: Job roles and goals constantly shift, leaving employees confused and anxious

The Impact of a Negative Work Environment

Working in a space filled with tension, fear, or chaos can deeply affect both your mental and physical health. A negative work environment increases stress levels, which can lead to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble sleeping, and even high blood pressure. Over time, it can erode your self-esteem and sense of purpose.

When your job is toxic, it doesn’t just stay at the office. It follows you home, disrupts your personal life, and can impact relationships with family and friends. The emotional strain might show up as irritability, loss of motivation, or even depression.

Coping Strategies to Handle a Toxic Work Environment

If you’re feeling stuck in a harmful work environment, know that you’re not powerless. While you may not be able to change everything around you, you can take steps to protect yourself and regain control of your well-being.

  1. Set Clear Boundaries

When you’re in an unhealthy workplace, boundaries are essential. Don’t feel obligated to answer emails after work hours or take on responsibilities outside your job description. Safeguarding your time and energy is an important way to take care of yourself.

  1. Document Problematic Incidents

If you’re experiencing harassment, discrimination, or unethical behavior, keep a written record. Include dates, times, people involved, and what was said or done. Having this documentation will be valuable if you choose to report the issue to HR or seek legal advice.

  1. Find Support

You’re likely not the only one struggling. Find a few trusted coworkers to talk to. Sharing your experience can reduce feelings of isolation and may help you understand how widespread the issue is.

  1. Prioritize Self-Care

Being in a toxic environment takes a toll on your health, so prioritize activities that replenish your energy. Exercise, hobbies, therapy, journaling, or simply spending time with loved ones can help you stay grounded and resilient.

  1. Speak Up When Safe

If you feel safe doing so, consider addressing your concerns with your manager or HR. Focus on the impact of the issue rather than personal blame. For example, say: “I’ve noticed a drop in team morale, and I’m concerned it’s affecting productivity. Could we explore ways to enhance communication and provide better support?”

  1. Consider Your Exit Strategy

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, a workplace just won’t improve. If you’ve made multiple efforts to address the issues and nothing has changed, it may be time to move on. Begin updating your resume, building your network, and applying for jobs that align with your values and needs.

Finding a Healthier Environment

Once you’ve decided to leave, be intentional in your job search. Avoid landing in another stressful situation by researching companies thoroughly. Read reviews, ask interviewers about work culture, and observe how employees interact during your visit.

A positive workplace fosters teamwork, honest communication, and shared respect among colleagues. It also supports growth, balances expectations, and promotes employee well-being. By being selective, you can avoid falling into another toxic cycle.

Final Thoughts

Dealing with a toxic work environment isn’t easy—but recognizing the problem is the first step toward change. Whether you choose to set stronger boundaries, seek support, or make a career move, remember that your health and happiness matter. Life’s too valuable to waste in an environment that exhausts you and takes away your happiness.

If you’re currently navigating a tough situation at work, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone. Many people have faced similar challenges and gone on to thrive in new, more positive environments. With the right tools and support, so can you.

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Wellness

Fear of Heights – Acrophobia – Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

It’s okay to feel the fear. It is a very natural emotion for all living beings. Fear can be healthy when it gives you the survival instincts to keep yourself protected from danger. Fear can be unhealthy when it controls or prevents you from doing things you normally enjoy. This extreme condition is called phobia. A lasting or uncontrollable fear of any situation, certain object, or activity that even leads to a panic attack. There are various types of phobias. Here I have discussed the fear of heights phobia called acrophobia. If a person feels fear or discomfort when reaching heights or even when thinking about it, then it is called acrophobia.

What is acrophobia?

As said, acrophobia is the fear of heights. This is one of the most common fears; a recent study says that 1 in 20 people experience acrophobia in their life. This irrational, intense feeling of fear of heights may raise anxiety to an extreme level. If continued, the person may trigger a panic attack also.

How do they behave?

An acrophobic person will try to avoid situations like thinking about heights, climbing a ladder, traveling in a plane, walking on a bridge or even standing on a balcony. If you find any of these signs from your partner or friend, take early measures to protect them from any profound effects on their life. Anyone with this condition may restrict themselves from moving anywhere or choosing to do anything that involves the feeling of fear.

Such a controlled life would affect the growth in their social life and career life. Therefore, it is better to consult a doctor whenever you aren’t able to control the emotions of fear.

Acrophobia causes

Acrophobia causes are many. Some children develop this phobia right from their childhood days. It couldn’t be noticed until they grow up or open up their mind to their parents.

Researchers have made several theories for the cause of acrophobia:

Evolutionary theories of acrophobia suggest that while parenting, some children are made susceptible to certain activities, behaviors, or attitudes. In our case, falling from a height threatened their survival.

A child who observes their parents or guardian experiencing fear of heights is likely to develop the same fear.

People who have trauma or witnessed someone else falling from a height are likely to develop acrophobia.

Certain bad experiences like falling from a tree or falling from hills while trekking may also develop a phobia for some people.

Abnormal signs to notice from acrophobic people

The following symptoms are seen in many acrophobic people. These are usually similar to anxiety disorders.

  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea
  • Dry mouth

How to handle such people?

Follow these tips to protect your partner or friend from panic attacks:

  • Do not force them to go to heights.
  • Do not talk about heights with them.
  • Do not make them worry about encountering heights in the future.

These could be simple help we can do to make their life happy.

Treatment for acrophobia

When diagnosed with acrophobia, your doctor may suggest the following acrophobia treatments.

The therapists may help you confront the fear by gradually exposing you to the situation, activity, or other factors that cause the fear. After several sessions, the patient should feel better and adapt to those situations that fear them the most.

Another well-known treatment method is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In this case, your psychologist will identify the irrational thoughts relating to the fear and use techniques to replace those thoughts with more accurate ones.

In a few cases, hypnotism helped patients to recover from their phobic state. Hypnotherapy means the therapist will help you enter a relaxed state and use techniques to unlearn the fear response to the heights.

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Wellness

Is It Good To Double Shampoo For Healthy Hair?

There are a lot of beauty tips every woman follows. My hair care routine is, that I double shampoo my hair for a much cleaner and oil-free scalp. Though my hair is not oily and I don’t have dandruff either. I apply coconut oil and sesame oil, one hour before the hair wash routine. I follow this hair care routine two times a week. Shampooing your hair twice is a technique helpful for keeping the scalp and hair clean. However, is it necessary to shampoo your hair twice? Some dermatologists recommend double shampoo yields better results for healthier hair.

Should you shampoo twice for better results?

Nowadays, many tiktokers praise the benefits of shampooing twice your hair for better results. They say the double shampoo method removes the buildup and dirt effectively and while on the second wash it does a deeper cleanse on your scalp. In addition to this, the scalp gets a thorough massage while washing, which improves blood circulation and leads to healthier hair.

But what do dermatologists say and who should wash their hair twice?

Well, dermatologists say that deciding factors depend on hair type and the activity level of the person. One might think shampooing twice your hair removes any buildup of dirt, oil sweat, and product residue on the scalp and hair. It can also clear the odor formed by microorganisms caused by pollution in the environment or by dead skin cells. Dermatologists advise this deeper cleansing method or shampooing twice method is useful for people with curly or coarse hair or for people who wash their hair only after several days.

Those who do not shampoo frequently will notice that this twice-shampoo technique makes their hair feel cleaner. It is more effective in clearing residues and removing excess oils than shampooing once.

Those who have an oilier scalp can blindly choose double shampooing as it can help remove excess sebum and oil effectively. The same results are experienced by people who work under direct sunlight for many hours as they get a sweatier scalp which produces a bad odor.

People who use medicated shampoos to treat certain conditions like psoriasis can shampoo twice to break up the buildup formed by the chemicals.

Swimmers are also advised to follow the double hair washing method to clear the pool chemicals effectively from the hair and scalp.

Who should not do double shampoo?

Despite having so many benefits, twice-shampooing your hair might do more harm than good for some people. So who should avoid?

  • People who wash their hair daily or every other day – should avoid this method as it may strip off excessive oil which dries out your scalp and damages your hair.
  • People who apply too much heat to their hair – using several heating tools like curling irons, flat irons, and hair dryers often and applying for a long time can weaken the hair roots and lead to damage and breakage.

It is always good to consult with your dermatologist to know the condition of your scalp and hair, and how frequently can you shampoo your hair for optimal health.

Can we use conditioner twice?

Shampooing twice leads to better results for some people but conditioning twice your hair is not necessary. It is okay to follow the “leave on time” (usually between 2 to 5 minutes), as mentioned on the label of your conditioner. If the effects aren’t as good as they promise, better try switching to a conditioner with a more hydrating formula.

Practice these for the optimal health of your hair

Beyond shampooing and conditioning your hair regularly or as advised by your dermatologists, there are other things one must do to have healthy hair.

  • Avoid pulling your hair – this is for women who often try different hairstyles such as ponytails or tightly pulled-back buns. Avoid pulling hard as that causes tension on the hair which leads to breakage for sure. So be gentle with your hair.
  • Avoid applying too much heat – Long-time usage of heating tools like flat irons, curl irons, and hair dryers can weaken the hair which leads to damage. So it is better to follow 50% hair dry and 50% air dry for healthy hair.
  • De-tangle gently before washing – Brush your hair gently before washing to minimize the tangles while washing. Likewise, do not tug your hair which can lead to hair loss.
  • Massage your scalp – Scalp massage in the shower or while oiling stimulates blood circulation to the scalp skin and hair follicles.
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Wellness

How Can We Make Healthy New Year Resolution Ideas?

We’re just one month ahead to start a new year. We all hope this should be a fresh and healthy start. Everyone suffered a lot in the Covid crisis. Now, we should forget all the pains and need to fight back even stronger to make the New Year more successful. Whenever we talk about New Year, the very first thing that comes to our mind is Resolution. Let’s be honest now, every one of us has taken a resolution in January and stopped it even before the month ends. Comment below, if some of you are following even now. Well, this is the time we all come across a lot of articles that talk about new year resolution ideas but I have a different approach to welcome the new year in a positive way. Come, let’s find out.

Life changes only when we change

Having a positive approach to life will bring us more success. It doesn’t mean that you cannot cry when you’re in pain. Cry until you feel light and come up with a strong mentality to fight back. In this Corona crisis, we might have lost many loved ones. Life is not that easy. We have to try to come out of the pain. If your goal is clear and you’ve made a clever strategy to start 2022, then don’t mind about the other hazards you face in life. Nature supports you to reach your goal. Have the trust in YOU.

What to do in 2022?

There is not enough time to make a plan. Another year has come to an end, just like that. Make a quick strategy and implement it cleverly for a happy, healthy, and wealthy life. Some of us have faced a layoff from our previous organization due to the Covid impact. It must have caused a hard hit in your life. Don’t worry. Now, this is the right time to come back. Choose your new companies wisely, look for the benefits, prepare well for the interview based on your experience, and make sure the target is well crafted; you can make it all yours. This 2022 will bring you more wealth.

Let’s find out some healthy ways to welcome the New Year.

Setting realistic goals

Yes, most of us keep on setting our resolution goals like “eat healthier” or “work out more” etc. but do you think these can be followed without having a proper plan? Definitely not. Therefore, instead of going behind this vague idea, try setting the goals as “visiting gym three days in a week” or “eating fruits instead of cookies for a dessert” etc. These sound manageable than the rough goals.

Walking more

Being healthy is the most important thing for a happy life. Most of us have no time to hit the gym regularly. So, instead of not doing any activities to maintain health, we can simply go for a walk. Prefer choosing to walk while going to a nearby shop or for buying groceries. This method not only gets the job done but also lets you live a healthy lifestyle.

Having an anti-resolution

“Stopping” something you do can also be a resolution. Examples like stopping biting nails, stopping using disclaimers, stopping biting tongue, stopping working with worst or disloyal clients, stopping using social media too much, stopping putting off to work unnecessarily, stopping eating fast food, and so on.

You know what, anti-resolutions work way better than being committed to doing something regularly. Leaving bad habits or keeping a full stop for unproductive works make us live our life intentionally.

Preparing unique recipes

Trying something new in the kitchen turns out into the happiest moment with our loved ones. This increases our self-esteem and motivates us to do other works enthusiastically.

Following self-care routine

It is a commonly well-known fact that we all spend time caring for our loved ones but we never spent it for ourselves. This is a bitter truth. Think for a second. Have you spent time reading a good book? Have you bought a costume you loved? Have you mindfully sipped a drink? No is the answer for many of us. Just relax, it is not gonna bother anybody if you follow a routine on self-care. Analyse how you want to present yourself in public, how you want to spend time, etc. make a schedule at least a week and never stop it at any cost.

Making some music

Yes, it’s not about listening to music, it is about playing music. When is the last time you took your guitar to make some good music? Didn’t remember? Well, it’s time to do it now. Schedule a time every week and believe this is going to be one of the best new year resolution ideas.

Visit your doctor regularly

Due to this festive season like Halloween, Christmas, I am sure that we missed our regular checkups. Prepare a schedule to visit your doctor, a dentist, or cardio, visiting once will be a healthier start.

Try a new look

For a positive start, a new trendy look can be helpful. Try a new hair-do or just trim your regular one before New Year. The change in look will cause a positive impact on your brain and among your friends’ circle.

Create a vacation time

Planning for a vacation is similar to doing meditation. Travelling creates a huge impact on brain health. It refreshes our mind completely and allows us to do our other routine works more energetically. Sometimes, a vacation will also help us come up with a solution for a huge issue we faced.

Final thoughts

On the whole, my idea in this article is to forget and move on. A New Year should not be wasted for any issues we faced so far. Try implementing any or all of the above ideas to welcome New Year in a healthy way. Add your opinion below upon following any of these or any other useful ideas to start the new beginning.

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Wellness

Aspects of Emotional Wellbeing

Emotional wellbeing means the quality of our emotions in individual experiences. Our emotions are influenced by situations, people surrounded by or dealing with, the economy, and so on. In recent studies, the COVID-19 outbreak has lowered our emotional wellbeing by 74%. Many people suffered from stress, anxiety, and depression. A few have become pessimistic, have low self-esteem, are very self-critical, very sensitive emotionally. However, on the positive side, awareness of the aspects of emotional wellbeing has contributed to increasing self-esteem, work productivity, performance, and optimism in many people.

Feelings, Thoughts, and Emotions

Our feelings and thoughts have a close connection with our bodies. When our thoughts are positive, it affects our feelings and in turn, our body generates hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. I bet it is difficult to change one’s thoughts if they got that adrenaline rush at least once in their lifetime. Feelings depend on thoughts and these determine attitudes and actions.  That’s why it is important to educate children right from their schoolings. Good emotional health prevents diseases and makes it possible to enjoy life most happily.

How to Build Emotional Health?

Mental health and emotional health are different from each other. Emotional health is a basic aspect of self-awareness, resilience, and overall contentment. Remember that, good emotional health does not always mean happiness and being free from negative emotions. It is the mindfulness to manage the ups and downs in life.

The majority of us are not ready to accept the emotional messages from others. Instead, we hide them by distracting ourselves with destructive behaviors like drugs and alcohol.

It is of utmost importance to protect our emotional health before it affects our physical and mental wellness.

Let’s talk about how to improve or get into action.

Interacting with people

Yes, this comes first on our to-do list. Interacting with people in the real world is far more important than talking on computer screens or TV. It is our responsibility to find a person who is a good listener. A good listener is someone who does not criticize, judge, or hurt you; instead, they understand your feelings behind your words. Such supportive relationships help strengthen emotionally. Communication breaks stress, talking helps us feel relaxed. So trust me, follow this first step. Living alone is neither a solution to any problem nor makes us happier.

Handling Stress

When you are under extreme stress, it reduces social interactions and stops you from doing regular works. This affects your overall growth in life. Learning stress management techniques like yoga, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, keeping your muscles and body in a relaxed state, and so on. These strategies can help your mind and body to get back to a balanced state.

Eating Healthy

The food we intake has a direct impact on our feelings. Healthy meals give you tremendous energy and help you look beautiful. Physical and mental health helps us to improve self-esteem, self-awareness, and control of our situations. That’s eventually emotional wellbeing. Right?

Joy of Giving

Gifting our loved ones delivers immense pleasure to the receiver. That positivity develops a great feeling on our level of emotional health. On the other hand, giving with love and joy increases social interactions and strengthens our emotions.

Being Mindful

Focusing on the present is what being mindful is all about. Learn to maintain a complete awareness of our feelings, thoughts, and surrounding environment. Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and several other mindfulness techniques help you achieve this. You will get great control over all your emotions in daily activities.

Self-Care

Learn to enjoy the beauty of life. Book a ticket to a funny movie, have a walk in the garden, read a good book, talk to your loved ones, spend money on buying beautiful outfits and grooming, eat a tasty and healthy meal, and do whatever you love. Do not postpone anything in life. Live in the present and enjoy your life. Believe me; these investments will pay good dividends in terms of immense pleasure.

The Bottom Line

Bad things happen to everyone, never mind if you’re a good person or not. Being healthy in aspects of emotional wellbeing, physical and mental health enables a person to take on life’s challenges in a productive way. These not only improve one’s life, behavior but also gain an indefinite number of trustworthy social connections.

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Wellness

Everything about Autophobia Symptoms

Many of us have fears to a certain extent but for some people, these common fears will develop into a phobia. Phobia is an illogical fear of a particular situation or a specific thing that compels one to avoid, despite reassuring that it is not dangerous. Today phobias are commonly found among everyone. There are various types of phobias that are easy to acquire and easy to lose too. Phobias shouldn’t be confused with common fears, such as being afraid of a lion as that is a normal protective reaction to preserve ourselves. In this article, we are going to discuss a type called “autophobia” which means “fear of being alone”. This type of fear is most commonly found among adults than in children. Let’s find out what the autophobia symptoms are, their causes and how to overcome them.

How to differentiate between fear and phobic response?

It is easy to get afraid of anything. Fear is a negative experience with the object or certain situations. For instance, some people are afraid of dogs from their childhood and it continues even in adulthood. Such fears cannot harm anyone or go to any dangerous extent. But if you are phobic, you will suffer from severe physical and emotional symptoms. These symptoms cannot be controlled and may affect your loved ones to a great extent.

How to define autophobia?

Autophobia is anxiety and fear when you have to spend time alone or even think about it. This affects the person’s life to a great extent. There is no official definition for this type of phobia. Autophobia is composite and it is often difficult to differentiate it from post-traumatic stress disorder, fears of abandonment, and separation anxiety disorder. The sudden fear arises to a person with autophobia when they think about being alone and they cannot obtain calmness even if they know they’re safe.

Autophobia vs loneliness

Loneliness means a negative emotion that occurs when the person does not have any social interactions or meaningful connections.

Suffering from autophobia involves having anxiety throughout the time period spending alone. This may create various physical and emotional symptoms that affect their day-to-day life.

What are the symptoms of autophobia?

In general, most phobias have the same set of symptoms.

Physical symptoms include:

  • Rapid heart rate
  • Trouble breathing
  • Shaking
  • Upset stomach
  • Pain or tightness in your chest
  • Dizziness
  • Sweating

Emotional symptoms include:

Other names for autophobia are monophobia, isolophobia, ermophobia, etc.

What are the causes?

It may relate to any negative experiences faced in childhood or due to previous trauma when you’re alone. The exact cause of autophobia cannot be explained.

Often, the phobic people use certain statements like “I will leave you before you leave me” or “You have never loved me” and so on. This mostly creates the worst situation in his/her relationships. People with phobia sometimes create domestic violence or even physically harm their loved ones who left them alone.

In most cases, these problems arise due to the worst childhood experiences. For example, a parent’s divorce or death. This causes a complete change in their lifestyle; they fear or expect the same thing from their current relationships. They become totally dependent on their partner.

How to diagnose?

A mental health professional carries an autophobia test by first asking about your medical history and medications. Then the doctor asks for a type of situation that brings anxiety. Your doctor may use a behavioral avoidance test to measure the level of fear you have when left alone.

Treatments for autophobia

Like any other treatments for phobias, your doctor suggests psychotherapy to start with. He suggests a few ways that might help you face the fear of being alone.

Exposure therapy – This therapy is based on exposing the person to the situation or thing that they are afraid of. For example, in autophobia, a person will be left alone for a long time. This type of treatment is clinically demonstrated to overcome anxieties and phobias.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy – This is the widely used therapy to trigger rational thoughts and deep knowledge about the situation as well as your emotional reaction. This method can be very helpful in managing phobias.

Autophobia medication

To manage phobias, medications like antidepressants, sedatives, anti-anxiety medications are prescribed. These are very helpful for a person to avoid making dangerous decisions when in anxiety.

Outlook

Like any other phobias, autophobia is treatable. Sometimes a combination of therapies is also recommended to help manage the autophobia symptoms. With the right treatment, the level of anxiety faced when left alone will significantly reduce or disappear entirely.

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Wellness

Facial Pimples – Causes and How to Treat?

Acne is a very common skin problem especially when you are a teenager. Almost 90% of teenagers are affected by this problem. In some cases, this problem exists even in adulthood. Some experienced breakouts in the chest, neck, and shoulders too. Most people think dirt or not washing your face is the major reason for facial pimples but that is not the case. There are also other reasons like hormonal changes, genes, etc. which cause acne on the face or your body.

What causes pimples on the face?

Although we use a common term as “pimples”, there are different types such as whiteheads, blackheads, nodules, papules, and cysts. Either you have any of these or a combination of all.

Some of the main causes of facial pimples are:

Puberty

In general, females show signs of pimples on their faces while reaching puberty. At the time of puberty, there will be a hormonal change that stimulates the sebaceous glands. The higher the level of testosterone, the more severe the acne will be. That’s why males have more severe acne than females.

Makeup 

Some cosmetics develop acne especially if they are oil-based. These creams block the pores and create small swelling, so check the ingredients and make sure they are water-based before purchasing makeup products or sunscreens.

Menstruation

Commonly, most girls experience more acne during the menstrual period. The hormonal changes are the major factor for facial pimples.

Stress

Acne spots develop when you are highly worried or anxious; this is because stress hormones are produced enormously at this time. So, if you are highly depressed or under stress, consider going to stress management classes to keep you calm and remain pimple-free.

Myths about Acne

Passing down through generations, we came across a lot of myths about acne.

  • Acnes are formed due to bacterial infection and can be spread from one person to another
  • Poor personal hygiene
  • Oily hair causes acne
  • A bad diet develops acne
  • Sunlight can clear the acne spots
  • Greasy foods produce extra sebum on the skin resulting in acne

Unknowingly, these myths are spread through various generations. In general, having clarity on what is the exact skin problem and undergoing effective treatment will help in reducing or clearing pimples.

Let’s find out the short tricks to eliminate pimples from the face

Orange Peel

We all know orange is rich in vitamin C that clears the dirt very well. Grind the orange peels with water and apply the paste to the affected areas. Leave it overnight and by the next day, you will see significant results.

Applying Lemon

Lemon is another great source of vitamin C. People with oily skin can apply lemon juice once a week to remove the extra oil. As you know excessive oily skin can cause pimples over time.

Fenugreek Paste

Grind fenugreek leaves with water or soak the fenugreek seeds overnight and grind it on the next morning to make a paste. Apply this on your affected areas, leave it to dry, and wash with water. This produces a cooling effect on your skin and removes pimples when used twice a week.

Neem face pack

As we all know, Neem is known for its medicinal values. Try this neem face pack available on the market and apply once a month for effective results.

Steaming your face

Steam opens up the pores and washing your face with a mild soap helps to preserve essential oils on your face and removes the excess. Finish cleaning with cold water as this closes the open pores; this prevents the dirt from entering your skin again.

Tea tree oil

I don’t recommend this method to clear pimples as tea tree oil can increase sebum secretion. Therefore, consult with your dermatologist before choosing this method.

Drinking-Water

Yes, this is a true and beneficial method. Just give it a try. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day to remove all the toxins from your body.

All these tricks may or may not suit everyone, therefore try applying to a small portion of the affected region and check whether it works for you. If yes, then go for it and stick to it until the pimples vanish completely.

Wrapping up!

Acne does go away on its own. Don’t panic and stress yourself too much as that could worsen the problem. Just remember the famous line, you are beautiful just the way you are!

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Wellness

Tips to staying healthy in retirement

Retired people mostly worry about the three things which are wealth, health and relationships. Wealth is the first major worry for almost all retirees. Second is the health that occupies their mind. Retirement should not be like staying at home alone, it should be like starting to spend time on things you’ve really wanted to in your service period. Retirement can be one of the best times of your life, but the thing is you should make sure you’re staying active and healthy. Our immune systems should run at its peak efficiently. To achieve, here are some tips for staying healthy in retirement.

Fitness

Having sedentary lifestyle spoils the overall health, so it is necessary to stay active and engaged. This fewer the health problems we face like obesity, arthritis, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, etc. For being active, our mind should be filled with good positive attitude. Getting older is not a barrier to achieve anything in life. Talk to your doctor and know about your restrictions you might have, and then get engaged with all the activities you’ve wanted to do always but didn’t find time.

5 simple ways to stay active and healthy

Staying healthy in retirement is easy when you choose anyone or all the 5 as your daily routine:

Swim

Swimming and any water-based workouts are completely safe and effective regardless of your age. This is easy on the joints and will not be harmful even if you’ve any bone problems. Swimming is the approved exercise to increase the heart health, improves muscle strength, and cardiovascular health. Thus, it is considered to be a good choice for elderly people.

Lift weights

This may sound weird but we need to rethink on this, look at the benefits it creates including self-confidence, stronger bones and muscles. Trainer would advice on the effective exercises for aged people or even for people with disabilities.

Hiking/Walking

Walking or Hiking helps in connecting with nature and to interact with neighbors or other people in the park and outdoors. The sense of independence is the key here, this benefits most hikers and help them relieve from everyday stress. Walking or Hiking also includes other health benefits like heart health, mobility and a reduced risk of hospitalization.

Joining a Sports League

Adult sports leagues are available all across the country and whatever your sport of choice is, there is a high chance to find the players in your area. Thus, this has physical and mental health benefits of making some new friends.

Yoga

If you’re hesitant to do more active exercises or sports, then yoga is the best choice. This helps in increasing flexibility, lowering stress level, increasing blood circulation, etc. thereby good for overall health.

Final thoughts

For staying healthy after retirement, the major key is to stay fit and to follow an active lifestyle. Following these five simple yet effective ways will not only help in improving health and fitness but also makes your life happier and more balanced.

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Wellness

Underlying facts to stop biting nails

Nail-biting is a common habit found among many people around the world. Everyone bites nails in their childhood but it is an issue when you continue to bite even in your adolescence. Biting nails is an automatic thing that happens even before you start to think about it. Researchers have said that people with certain mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, separation anxiety disorder, etc. may develop a habit of biting nails but not everyone has this. This habit can be stopped when you have patience and self-control. In rare cases, when people could not stop biting nails and develop various health risks should consult a doctor to overcome this.

What makes you bite nails?

Although the real reason behind this developed habit is unknown, some of the most common reasons based on the studies have brought us to these:

  1. Stress and Anxiety – These are commonly found among many people. Due to workload, everyone develops stress and it is difficult to overcome this mental condition. When you feel separated, you create the habit of biting your nails to keep you occupied.
  2. Might be Genetic – Some children learn to bite nails on seeing their parents.
  3. Feeling boredom – To keep you occupied and to fight boredom, some start to bite nails but it is not an issue if this doesn’t repeat.
  4. Concentration – Have you seen anyone biting nails in the meeting hall? It is just their way of staying focused.

Apart from these above-mentioned scenarios, the actual cause or mindset behind biting nails is still unknown.

Risks of biting nails

Would you like to know when to stop biting nails? Here are the certain risks or side effects that follow with nail-biting.

  1. Fungal or Bacterial Infection – we all know fingers and nails are the hotspots for many germs, these get into your stomach and causes infections in the intestines.
  2. Dental Problems – Due to the continuous chipping, the teeth will get misaligned which brings an unpleasant smile. A few studies show that vigorous biting can create Jaw problems too.
  3. In-grown nails – Improper growth of nails is another risk that affects the entire finger with pain, swelling, redness, and bleeding.
  4. Thinning or discoloration of nails – continuous biting or cracking nails will affect the overall nail health resulting in thin or discolored. Usually makes them pale white or yellowish.

How to prevent it?

Anyone who has this habit and faced many awkward situations wants to come out of it. Here are a few simple tips that can help you prevent:

  1. Trimming nails – Ragged edges trigger you to begin biting. To avoid this, follow a weekly routine to trim the nails. You can also choose to do a manicure every week to have good-looking nails. The point is if you make them appear beautiful or not letting them grow longer will help you stop biting.
  2. Wearing gloves – Although it is difficult to bring this into practice, at least you can avoid creating awkward situations when you are in a meeting and caught biting your nails.
  3. Coating with bitter nail polish – Yes, these products are available in the market to help you stop biting nails.
  4. Replacing the habit – Overcoming a habit doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time. If you get the thought to bite a nail try to bring a second thought like using fidgets, stress balls, etc.

Apart from these, if you have certain mental health conditions as we discussed in the first paragraph, it is better to consult a doctor who suggests therapies to overcome.

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