Encouraging Alzheimer’s sufferers to take care of plastic dolls may seem like an unusual type of therapy but it’s been proving to have a positive effect, so much so, it’s aided in reducing patients’ dependency on psychotropic drugs.

When a person develops Alzheimer’s they lose interest in life, become withdrawn and uncommunicative.  It can become difficult to interest them in activities.  

Doll therapy involves giving a doll to a female patient to care for.  This may seem, on the outside, patronising, but patients can obtain a great deal of joy and comfort from a doll.  Many women sufferers were housewives and due to the unfortunate effects of dementia, many believe that they are still young.  Patients can often adopt the baby and treat it as if it were real; they dress it, sing to and interact with it.  The latest research suggests that the doll brings back happy memories of when they had been parents.  The dolls fulfil a maternal need. Having a doll can rekindle all types of positive memories and emotions, of loving, of being loved and being needed.  A person with Alzheimer’s may still have a need for a role which will give them a sense of purpose and usefulness.

Through the use of the dolls, it also allows patients to release repressed emotions; to explain their feelings, as they will often transfer their emotional state onto the doll.

A doll can also play a number of roles to the sufferer and they are often referred to as their husbands, wives, or any other significant person in their life.

Dolls are, of course, not a cure and the sufferer will not suddenly transform back to their former self because of a doll, but they have a marked effect on sufferers’ behaviour, reducing agitation, aggression and wandering.

The dolls also stimulate greater communication between the relatives, staff and the patient.  Staff and the patient talk about the doll, its clothes, hair, etc.

According to the Nursing Times, a care home has reported to have drastically reduced its patients’ dependency on psychotropic drugs thanks to alternative treatments including doll therapy. 

Ashcroft Care Home based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK, has reported that it has cut the amount of patients using psychotropic drugs from 92 per cent at the start of 2008 to 28 percent.

There is much debate currently with regard to psychotropic drugs; they are contentious form of treatment as they act on a patients’ nervous system which can cause them to experience mood changes and other negative side-effects.

Caroline Baker from the Four Seasons Health Care which operates Ashcroft said: “The results we are seeing from reduced medication and providing complementary therapies have been phenomenal.”

 

 

Panic attacks occur often without warning. They are sudden, quick however natural reaction of a body to any redundant situation. They are temporary but may last long till half an hour.

As panic attack is natural reaction it is better to treat it with natural and simple home remedies instead of giving a call to any kind of burden, stress and side-effects of medications. You may follow some of these-

Home Remedies for Panic Attack

Panic attack shows different symptoms to different people and also on different situations. If you are getting panic and feel dizziness, headache, or phobia the best remedy is to do counting. You may count the number of wheat grain that can fit in a small bowl, you can count the number of chairs in your big office, and you can also count the numbers in descending order. This helps you to distract your mind and make you comfortable. At times, to avoid this initial attack you can also try charming fragrance of some flowers or perfume that please you and make you relax.

Sometimes the situation may not be as good as initially stated one and your panic attack may show symptoms like raised heartbeat, fast breathing, chest pains and weakness. The best way out of this is to practice breathing techniques. Take a deep breathe in and slowly leave it out. Practicing this for 10 minutes a day can keep you away from the attack and make you calm. This technique helps you greatly to empower yourself with new and fresh potency and minimizes chest pains controlling your breathing.

Nausea, vomiting and stomach pain may also be an indicator of panic attack. To avoid this you need to follow regular exercise and healthy diet. Your healthy diet may consist more of green vegetables, egg and milk. Avoid caffeine and alcohol in your diet. Such stimulants take over your mind. Regular exercise keeps you physically as well as mentally fresh throughout the day.

Apart from all home remedies mentioned above if you want never to be affected by panic attack or anxiety disorder it is better to practice yoga and meditation regularly. This requires a professional guidance to practice but is the most useful perform to eradicate the symptoms of attack completely after all treatment taken under professional guidance minimizes the other risks and dangers.

In this world of intellectualism, there are many psychosomatic diseases that are rampant all over the world, haunting not only old people, but also youngsters. Anxiety attacks are the ‘gift’ of this intellectualism. Albeit, an anxiety attack is a mental state, its symptoms are physical ones. Appetite loss, butterflies in the stomach, rapid heartbeat, headache, fear, trembling, excessive sweat, palpitation, heartburn, nausea, pain or tingling in the limbs, etc. such types of symptoms are present in the patient. The symptoms may be a few or in combination of these.

The following are the 5 tips that help to reduce the severity and duration of the anxiety bout. If all the tips 5 followed, it will be a preventive measure to defy the anxiety attack.

Diet

Eating a healthy diet is a good remedy to avoid the anxiety or panic attack from taking place. Low blood sugar, constant up-downs in blood sugar levels can be a cause to confront the anxiety bout. Eat nutritious food, fresh fruits and vegetables. Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. Avoid the foods that contain caffeine, soda, processed refined foods and sugar. Being away from alcohol can avoid the panic attack from being occurred.

Implant Positive Thoughts

Control your thoughts. Challenge your anxious thoughts. Invite the anxiety or panic attack. It may seem queer, but psychologically it will help to face and fight your fears. Be brave and control the anxiety attack before that controls you.

Cultivate a Hobby

Indulging in your favorite hobby acts like a distraction. Playing guitar, drawing, singing, gardening, swimming and such types of hobbies help you to kill the time and avoid possible anxiety attack times.

Exercise

Regular exercise reduces stress, which is a major trigger to anxiety attack. Even walking for 20 minutes helps to release stress of a body and mind. The daily physical activity works as an effective solution over the panic attack.

Yoga and Meditation

Follow yogic postures and meditate for some time. This will help to eliminate the anxiety attack before it overpowers you. Breathing exercise can play a vital role to thwart the anxiety attack and make you at ease.

For the complete relief, you need some natural remedy course to quit the panic attack. Gaining victory over the panic attack is not so difficult if followed some natural remedial course.