In times of unexpected uncertainty, our inability to cope with the crisis may increase chances of mental health problems like paranoia and delusional thinking. Kuhoo Gupta shares tips that can help
There is a famous saying “The idle brain is the devil’s workshop”. As Covid-19 has rendered several people with imperilled jobs, this has fabricated disquietude pressure upon people which is making them live in monochrome due to getting engrossed with depressing thoughts and this has become a buzzword for the past few months. The world’s reluctance regarding poor mental health is discreetly visible all these years.
The continual rise of deterioration of psychological condition among people is finally succumbing to the society’s nonchalant pursuit. Our mental wellbeing has been needlessly tossed on a bonfire due to an existence bedevilled by tedium which has also given a raise to vacious mental health disorder —delusion thinking and paranoia—making people suffer so much worse during this time of pandemic. In times of unexpected uncertainty, our inability to cope with the crisis may increase chances of mental health problems like paranoia and delusional thinking. Such condition tends to strongly incapacitated people due to incorrect interpretation of reality.
Psychological delusion and paranoia are silent destroyers —just like the virus. If we do not open this Pandora’s box, it could mutate to create self-defeating dimensions. It has potential to create mass violence in the inner world which develops delinquency in functioning the daily routine of an individual. The cause of paranoia lies behind a breakdown of many mental and emotional functions that involve reasoning and assigned meanings. The reasons behind these breakdowns vary. Some symptoms relate to denied, projected, or repressed feelings. Paranoid thoughts and feelings are often related to relationships and events in a person’s life. This increases their isolation, and makes it more difficult to get help.
Some symptoms of paranoia and delusional disorders are:
Here are few tips to effectively cope up with such phenomena:
Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy will help healing paranoia. Essential oils derived from plants are either inhaled or absorbed through the skin to promote a sense of calmness and ease physical discomfort.
Frankincense essential oil has been said to help lift mood and balance irrational fear within a paranoid person. One study which used frankincense alongside other oils known to promote relaxation found that the combination was effective in alleviating fear due to irrational thinking for terminally ill patients, and may have helped with pain management as well. Another study conducted on mice found that frankincense stimulates the portion of the brain that regulates feel good emotions, in addition to activating a protein that plays a role in the perception of warmth. These effects together can create a sense of comfort and peace to the person with paranoia. Also, lavender is a good choice to relax the mind when the person is suffering from mental disturbances.
Aquatic therapy: Severe traumatic paranoia events can physically weaken the joints and muscles to the point where they can’t support your body’s weight or motion capabilities on land. Aquatic therapy gives mental health patients more buoyancy which makes it easier to perform, touch, feel and move. The water also provides the resistance needed to strengthen brain muscles.Water can improve one’s brain health by simply increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain – which, in turn, improves concentration and cognition (supporting memory function) and helps balance moods and emotions, reducing stress and headaches.
Breath for life: A recent study found that practicing mindfulness meditation, even over a short period, reduces feelings of paranoia. Mindfulness meditation is the one linked to predicting levels of paranoia. Mindfulness meditation produces brain oscillation changes and increases brain network integration, which could contribute to the decreased abnormal brain activities and reduced delusion. Mindfulness training increases acceptance and ameliorates anxiety/distress emotion, resulting in general improvement in psychotic symptoms.
Compassion with Chakras: Balancing your chakras can help you restore the energy flow in your system and thus, reduce delusion levels. Derived from the Sanskrit word "wheel," chakras are considered the centers of energy in the body. Chakras are centers where major nerve points meet and where life force, or "prana," flows harmoniously. Hindu and Buddhist traditions believe that when the flow of energy is blocked, it disrupts physical, emotional, and mental health. There are seven main chakras that connect to nerve points or plexuses in the body. According to the Western practices, these seven points affect the nervous system and the endocrine glands. Each chakra is associated with a specific colour from the seven rays of the spectrum light, or rainbow. Colour light is an electromagnetic wave that affects our bioenergy and stabilises our mental health energy.
Hypnosis: also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus and concentration. Hypnosis is usually done with the help of a therapist using verbal repetition and mental images. When you’re under hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed, and are more open to suggestions.Hypnosis can be used to help you gain control over undesired thinking and to help you cope better with delusional thinking or pain. It’s important to know that although you're more open to suggestion during hypnosis, you don't lose control over your behavior.
Yoga Nidra: Yoga nidra has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of delusional thinking more than other types of relaxation techniques. Yoga nidra are widely known to alter the perceptions and mental responses to both external and internal stimuli, slowing-down reactivity and instill greater control over stressful-situation.
The writer is Healer and Wellness Coach