Low Self Esteem Self-esteem is a way of thinking, feeling, and acting that implies that you accept, respect, trust, and believe in yourself. People with low self-esteem frequently exhibit an artificial positive self-image to the world, in a desperate attempt to prove to others -- and to themselves -- that they are adequate persons who can fulfill their parents' dreams and expectations of them. Or they may retreat into themselves, fearing contact with others who, they fear, will ultimately reject them. They indeed are people who find little to be proud of in themselves. The seeds of such inadequacy can often be traced back to a childhood where parents, with all the good intentions possible, ended up being overly harsh and critical with their children. Non-Assertiveness Individuals display various types of behaviors in their interaction with others and at times some individuals may feel under confident and unassertive in their relationships and in dealing with those around them. A basic cause of non-assertiveness is low self-esteem and passive individuals find it difficult to be assertive. In certain circumstances this may go to the other extreme of aggressive behaviour when non-assertive people are put under too much pressure or when they happen to be in a position of power. Relationship Problems There are many different types of relationship problems such as those between a husband and wife, parent and child, and among siblings. Such problems may lead to divorce or separation between married couples or break up in families. Relationship problems maybe characterized by negative communication (e.g., criticisms), distorted communication (e.g., unrealistic expectations,) or non-communication (e.g. withdrawal). Anxiety Anxiety is a common emotion and, as such, we all feel anxious from time to time. However, what most people don't know is that the feeling of anxiety, chronic stress, worry, or difficulties in going to a deep, natural sleep at night can also be the sign of an illness called an anxiety disorder. This illness can cause severe distress over a period of time and can disrupt the lives of individuals suffering from it. Anxiety refers to an unpleasant and overriding mental tension that has no apparent identifiable cause. It is a generalized state of apprehension or fear about what may happen. People suffering from anxiety disorder are often apprehensive and worry that something bad may happen to themselves or their loved ones, but the fears and worries are very real and often keep individuals from concentrating on daily tasks. There are many physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety with some individuals having more physical symptoms and some maybe suffering more from anxiety at a psychological level, but exhibiting fewer physical symptoms. Conversion Disorder This is commonly known as 'hysteria'. In conversion disorder physical symptoms appear without any underlying organic cause. Psychological factors are judged to be associated with the symptoms. Eating Disorder Eating disorders, that affect some half a million people at any given time, are most common among middle to upper middle class women. However, there is growing evidence that eating disorders are also a serious problem among men. Two types of eating disorders are commonly found among people. These are: - Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa tend to be perfectionists who suffer from low self esteem and are extremely critical of themselves or some aspect of their physical make-up. Sleep Disorders Insomnia, the most common sleep complaint, is the feeling that you have not slept well or long enough. It occurs in many different forms. Most often it is characterized by difficulty falling asleep (taking more than 30 to 45 minutes), awakening frequently during the night, or waking up early and being unable to get back to sleep. However, sleep disorders may sometimes include sleeping excessively, although the person still wakes up with the feeling of not having rested well enough. Sleep disorders are often symptoms of various psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Depression Life is full of emotional ups and downs, but when the 'down' times are long-lasting or interfere with the individual's ability to function, the person may be suffering from a common, but serious psychological problem: depression. Depression affects mood with feelings of sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness. It affects the way a person thinks, interfering with concentration and decision-making abilities. It also affects behavior, with increased irritability and loss of temper, social withdrawal, and a reduction in the desire to engage in pleasurable activities. Clinical depression also affects physical well being resulting in chronic fatigue, sleep problems, and changes in appetite. Rape/ Sexual assault Rape may or may not involve actual overt violence. A person can be raped if he/she is coerced into performing a sexual act. Coercion may take a variety of forms. It may involve physical force, threats of bodily harm, financial deprivation or dire consequences. A common feature of this coercion is the abuse of power to control the victim. Some of the common emotions and reactions of a woman suffering from rape/ sexual assault are shock, disbelief, shame, guilt, depression, powerlessness, disorientation, denial, fear, anxiety and anger. There are a number of commonly held misperceptions or myths regarding rape such as "the woman/girl herself invites rape by her attitude, behavior, dress, etc." or that "a rapist is usually a stranger or person unknown to the victim". Domestic Violence Domestic violence is violence perpetrated by intimates against intimates. It occurs in relationships where conflict is the continuous result of power inequality between the partners and one partner is afraid of and harmed by the other. Domestic violence can occur in any relationship, victims may be female or male, but in most cases women are the victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence includes the abuse women suffer at the hands of their male partners. It can also occur between relatively more powerful members of the family like brother/mother/father in law and relatively less powerful ones like a daughter in law. A common definition of domestic violence is: "an act, whether physical, sexual, economic and/or psychological, expressed by a husband towards his wife to which the wife does not consent and which is directly or indirectly condoned by the traditions, laws, and attitude prevalent in the society in which it occurs." There are a number of myths that are commonly believed in society that further contribute to this type of violence, such as "a woman provokes a man to hit her" or that "if a woman keeps on making the same mistakes, it is okay to hit her".
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