Jeethen Ramnanan Clinical Psychologist

10/10/2021

Being mentally healthy doesn’t just mean that you don’t have a mental health problem.
If you’re in good mental health, you can:

make the most of your potential

cope with life

play a full part in your family, workplace, community and among friends.

Some people call mental health ‘emotional health’ or ‘well-being’ and it’s just as important as good physical health.
Mental health is everyone’s business. We all have times when we feel down or stressed or frightened. Most of the time those feelings pass. But sometimes they develop into a more serious problem and that could happen to any one of us.
Everyone is different. You may bounce back from a setback while someone else may feel weighed down by it for a long time.
Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life.
There’s a stigma attached to mental health problems. This means that people feel uncomfortable about them and don’t talk about them much. Many people don’t even feel comfortable talking about their feelings. But it’s healthy to know and say how you’re feeling.
-mentalhealth.org.uk

20/06/2021

This Father's day it's time to check up on the men in your life as many men are reluctant to access mental health services, which perpecutates the myth of male strength and invincibility.

Many feel men feel it "unmanly" to admit their vulnerability or weakness.

Societal expectations and traditional gender roles play a role in why men are less likely to discuss or seek help for their mental health problems.

As a result men may also be more likely to use potentially harmful coping methods such as drugs or alcohol and less likely to talk to family or friends about their mental health.

They may have increased irritability, sudden anger, increased loss of control, risk-taking and aggression.

They may use escapist behaviour too, such as throwing themselves into their work.

Myths: Men don't (or shouldn't)get emotional.
Fact: Emotions and Mental health are part of everyone's day to day lives, it effects everyone.

Myth: Men don't need help to recover from poor mental health.
Fact: There is societal stigma that often expects men to 'man up' and 'get over' how they are feeling.

Myth: Men who are struggling with their mental health are violent.
Fact: The vast majority of men with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else. Most people with mental illness are not violent and only 3%–5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population.

Myth:Depression Will Make You A Burden To Others.
Fact: Being unhealthy and refusing to seek treatment can put pressure and stress on those that care about you, but asking for help does not make you a burden. It makes people feel good to help a loved one, so don’t try to hide what you’re going through from them. What’s most frustrating is when someone needs help, but they refuse to ask for it.

24/03/2021

https://iono.fm/e/1014897.

At the request of listeners, we discuss the other side of gender-based violence. What are the different forms that abuse against men can take? Are enough men willing to speak up? Lloyd Paul speaks to clinical psychologist Jeethen Ramnanan....

06/02/2021

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.

-Carl Jung

18/12/2020

What is gaslighting?

Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that’s seen in abusive relationships. It’s the act of manipulating a person by forcing them to question their thoughts, memories, and the events occurring around them. A victim of gaslighting can be pushed so far that they question their own sanity.

Gaslighting, whether intentional or not, is a form of manipulation.
Gaslighting can happen in many types of relationships, including those with bosses, friends, and parents. But one of the most devastating forms of gaslighting is when it occurs in a relationship between a couple.

Signs of gaslighting

>No longer feeling like the person you used to be

>Being more anxious and less confident than you used to be

>Often wondering if you’re being too sensitive

>Feeling like everything you do is wrong

>Always thinking it’s your fault when things go wrong

>Apologizing often

>Having a sense that something’s wrong, but being unable to identify what it is

>Often questioning whether your response to your partner is appropriate (e.g., wondering if you were too unreasonable or not loving enough)

>Making excuses for your partner’s behavior

>Avoiding giving information to friends or family members to avoid confrontation about your partner

>Feeling isolated from friends and family

>Finding it increasingly hard to make decisions

>Feeling hopeless and taking little or no pleasure in activities you used to enjoy.

Healthline. com

10/09/2020

WORLD SU***DE PREVENTION DAY

23 People commit su***de everyday in South Africa.

60% of people who commit su***de are Depressed.

667 Deaths by Su***de every month,
161 Deaths by Su***de every week.
23 Deaths by Su***de every day... that virtually 1 every hour in South Africa.

Know the Warning signs and supply a suicidal person

* Seek Professional help
* Be Proactive and Treat this as an Emergency
* Help set up a Safety Plan
* Remove Potential means of Harm
* Support the Person
* Be Empathetic and not Judgemental
* Do not Argue or Preach about the importance of life, offer confidentiality.

09/08/2020

27/07/2020

We often wear (metaphorical) masks which serves us different purposes. However when we choose to take off our psychological masks we let our authentic self show.
We wear these masks to hide who we really are or we are trying to live up to other people's standards or simply to avoid conflict. While at times we wear the mask to hide away our true feelings and emotions. As a result we avoid the information that these emotions are giving us.
Psychotherapy allows us to Increase our self awareness and introspection which allows us to safely examine our true self. Ultimately we are not our thoughts.
With increased self awareness it allows us to evaluate others perspectives of us, and increase our self control. It enhances better decision making thereby enhances the quality of our lives.

Start to evaluate your own mask to see if its suffocating you?

17/06/2020

Stigma is when someone views you in a negative way because of your personal characteristics or traits. Stigma in mental health is all too common leading to discrimination and reluctance to seek help or treatment.

Harmful effects of stigma
**Lack of understanding by. family, friends, co-workers or others

**Fewer opportunities for work, school or social activities.

**Bullying, physical violence or harassment

**Health insurance that doesn't adequately cover your mental illness treatment

**The belief that you'll never succeed at certain challenges or that you can't improve your situation

Coping with stigma

**Get treatment.
You may be reluctant to admit you need treatment. Don't let the fear of being labeled with a mental illness prevent you from seeking help.

**Don't let stigma create self-doubt and shame.
Stigma doesn't just come from others. You may mistakenly believe that your condition is a sign of personal weakness or that you should be able to control it without help.

**Don't isolate yourself.
If you have a mental illness, you may be reluctant to tell anyone about it. Your family, friends, members of your community can offer you support if they know about your mental illness. Reach out to people you trust for the compassion, support and understanding your need.
-mayoclinic.org

26/05/2020

The lockdown has had a significant impact on our relationships. For some of us, it's been a rare opportunity to bond and develop deeper and more meaningful connections with each other.

For others, it has been a classic case of familiarity breeds contempt! Often the sources of contention are petty which results in deep seated resentments taking center stage in this time of crisis.

Gentle, reassuring and beautiful words are such an important communication tool - one that we take for granted too often. A simple compliment can change the entire ambience in a home and make the other person be it a spouse, parent, sibling, child or caregiver feel validated and special.

Some simple reminders

If you have a spouse who is working during this time - thank them for their hard work and dedication to providing.

If you have a spouse who is not working- thank them for being a home maker, for a clean house and for a hearty meal

If you have a child - reassure them that this will not last forever and remind them to just do their best in each moment

23/05/2020

Be aware of your thoughts, not in your thoughts.
Our mind often wonders and lingers on past catastrophes. This causes us to relive and reexperience the traumas. This is our anchor which causes us anxiety and anguish. We get sucked in and stuck.
By being aware of our thoughts we're able to break from it anchors... and just like a wave which eventually reaches the shore, riding and being aware of thoughts creates calmness, clarity and self awareness.

13/05/2020

Who am I?

It might seem like a simple question, but do we really know the answer? To answer this age old existential question authentically, requires a deep and truthful process which often can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful.

Are you defined by your professional title? Your roles of responsibility? Your greatest achievement? Or your most tragic failure? What tapestry weaves the core of who we really are?

The truth is constructing a notion of who we are is a dynamic and ever changing process. This is because each moment, every day we are confronted with new information about the world and ourselves that requires us to update our notion of identity.
Our identity can be viewed as an ongoing process of discovery, in which we are constantly re-framing, free-thinking, re- organising and reconsidering ourselves.
Viewing our identity as being static will often leading us to miss out on true life experiences and prevent us from authentically engaging in life.