It is the end of a stressful week, and you reward yourself for a job well done by eating your favorite dessert. You are unaware of the delicious food disappearing as you continue to browse the net or watch TV. Suddenly, you look down. Where did that dessert go? Disappointment and dissatisfaction set in. “That one just vanished!
Sometimes when we experience a trauma such as a car accident, witnessing violence or abuse, our minds protect ourselves by shutting off our emotions. The same way our pain receptors shut off to manage intense pain, our mind suppresses strong, negative emotions during times of crises to protect our well-being.
San Francisco, California… the fancy lifestyle, large food portions, the fog, weekend trips to the wine country, people working long hours, and no time for holidays. Is this the kind of America I want to be part of?” Yes, these were my first impressions of San Francisco when I moved from London, England nine years ago. What a culture shock!
When Raj was born in 1951, his father Manmohan was 2 miles away, with his friends, buying them tea and snacks in celebration of the birth of his first son. Raj and his mother went to her parents house and Manmohan held his son for the first time two months after Raj’s birth. Raj remembers his father being at home but never playing with him or helping him with his homework. “Responsibility of the children is the woman’s job,” he remembers Manmohan saying. “I simply step in when they need to be disciplined.”
Stress is a very common emotional health issue that South Asians face and it has very serious long term emotional and physical consequences.
A strong protective factor against unhealthy relationships and divorce can be identified when the couple is not fighting.
“Vijay, you’re doing great work. I see a lot of improvement from last quarter; however, I have the same constructive comments from last time.
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