Give the gift of Peace of Mind: With 3 simple questions

The holiday season is here, a time of giving, helping, sharing and getting together with family and friends. Yet, why are so many people stressed out during this time of year. Perhaps we are feeling overwhelmed with holiday preparations, the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy or the impending fiscal cliff. If any of your loved ones are stressed you can give them the priceless gift of Peace of Mind. Dr. Balasa Prasad & Dr. Preetham Grandhi say this can be done by addressing the following three questions. 

1. Why are you stressed out?

Stress is a by-product of a conflict between your emotions and the actual circumstances that you face. The stronger the conflict, the deeper the stress levels.

2. What can you do about it?

There are only two options to resolve the above mentioned conflict and neutralize stress. First, you change the situation or circumstances to your liking. However, this is easier said than done. If this is not possible, the second option is to adjust your outlook and attitude to work with the circumstances you are facing. There is no third option. Most people prefer the first option but it can be difficult to implement. The second option is relatively easy to implement but may not be to your liking.

3. How do you go about it?

Emotions resist change. Therefore you must switch your emotions with your instincts – the forgotten knight in shining armor, which operates in your best interest. Once you switch your emotional driven mindset to an instinctually driven mindset, you will be able to analyze any predicament and devise a realistic implementable solution. If all else fails your instincts will help your emotions to make the necessary adjustments to deal with the situation or circumstances. Thereby you will enjoy peace of mind.

By Balasa Prasad M.D& Preetham Grandhi M.D

10 Ways to Reassure Your Kids in the Wake of the Sandy Hook Shooting

Once again, every parent and child from Newtown, CT – as well as the rest of America – has to face the immediate and horrific impact of senseless gun violence.

The tragic events at the Sandy Hook elementary school have many parents searching for ways to explain the massacre to their children and prevent them from being paralyzed by anxiety and dread.

Here are 10 steps parents can take to help their children come to terms with feelings of shock and uncertainty while reassuring them everything is being done to protect their safety.

1. The parent role is the role of being the protector. Be strong yourself during this difficult time. Be patient and an effective listener.

2. By being an able container for all your child’s emotions you will foster the feeling of security.

3. For children below seven or eight years of age and depending on their maturity level, shield them completely from broadcast, print and online news as media reports may cause trauma through repeated exposure to the event. If you live outside the Newtown area and have strong reason to believe your child has not heard about the event, don’t mention it to them.

4. Speak to older children about the incident and help them understand that there are implied dangers inherent to life but as a parent you are taking all steps to keep them safe from imminent dangers. Reassure them that schools do have safety measures in place.

5. Explain to them that there is no current external threat to their safety. The person responsible for the shooting is dead. Be aware that in the short term children might begin to perceive an illogical threat to their security.

6. Expect emotional reactions like sadness, fear, anger and anxiety to occur in both yourself and your child. Seek support in school counselors, friends and family if needed.

7. Children express their stress in two ways: either by internalizing or or externalizing. In other words, they either stuff down emotions or act out. If you find your child is withdrawn, clingy, sad and not talking then they have internalized their feelings of stress. If your child is behaving aggressively or verbally lashing out then they have eternalized their feelings of stress.

8.  Tailor your message depending on your child’s temperament, developmental age and understanding capacities.

9. The closer you are to the epicenter of this event and the people involved in it the more likely your child might develop symptoms of acute stress. This could manifest in the form of anxiety, refusal to go to school, irritability, insomnia, hyperviglence, jumpiness, restlessness, nightmares, crying spells and tantrums.

10. If these symptoms worsen and persist for weeks or even months or interfere with your child’s functioning, seek the help of a professional.

As a parent, you likely need some reassurance too, so be sure you that you are as strong as possible so that you can give your children the attention and affection they need now and in the future.

Preetham Grandhi MD

Rights Go Hand in Hand with Responsibility

Guns kill people. Human beings have the propensity to kill or hurt each other for thousands of years. The only way to contain the carnage or damage is to restrict accessibility to lethal weapons. People state that the second amendment gives them the right to bear arms but they are ignoring the responsibility that accompanies that right. The Sandy Hook Elementary School incident exemplifies this. The mother of the gunman Adam Lanza, who herself became a victim, was irresponsible by owing an assault rifle and two guns,especially when she knew that her son had psychological problems. She did not safeguard these weapons and as a result 27 innocent lives are forever lost. Let this be a lesson to all gun enthusiasts, if you want to exercise your right to bear arms you must also ensure these weapon(s) do not fall into the wrong hands. Life is precious and Sandy Hook is a national tragedy, an enormous loss to this country because of the irresponsible behavior of one individual. Who knows the bright futures these wonderful innocent kids would have had if only their lives had not been taken away by a monster. Our prayers and thoughts are with those brave teachers, innocent children and their families.

It is high time for our elected representatives to coalesce and take serious action by passing strict laws around the sale and possession of lethal weapons. Let’s make sure this event is never repeated.

By Balasa Prasad MD

Aim high but lay low as the New Year approaches

To set or not to set goals could be a daunting task for many. There are two camps of thinking. The optimistic camp firmly believes going for the gold at any cost and a mentality that you will not fail, if you don’t think of failure. The pessimistic camp says setting goals in life leads to a lot of pressure, disappointment and stress - therefore no goals, no stress, no regrets.

I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. I am a realist. I let my instincts set my goals because they are in touch with my inborn talents and skills. With instincts in charge, there is no harm in aiming high. But you must lay low and be committed. Be humble and watch your steps while you make progress. Keep your mind, eyes and ears open and mouth closed – that will be the turning point in your attempt to reach your goals. Being an objective and silent observer will help you to know whom to trust and whom not to trust which will prove invaluable in your efforts.

By Balasa Prasad MD

Welcome to the Turning Point Blog

Conquer Your Stress With Courage, Clarity & Confidence

Stress is the principal nemesis of human beings and an equal opportunity tormentor. Stress dampens the spirit of an individual and distracts him from reaching his goals. Ongoing globalization, rapid technological advances and a fragile worldwide economy have raised stress levels to a new high for millions of people all over the world. People from all walks of life feel the pinch of these events and helpless to turn their lives around for the better.

Conquering stress and taking charge of one’s destiny will be the turning point in one’s life. The unique breakthrough of this book is the ‘The Turning Point Program,’ designed to guide a stressed out individual step by step with examples to identify the source and neutralize stress forever.  Individuals usually look at stress from their own and the world’s perspective, and therefore are unable to grasp the dynamics of stress and to conquer it. This book also introduces a new, ground breaking concept called Naturization, which is the missing link in the fight against stress. Naturization provides a third perspective, nature’s perspective, a key and an invaluable tool to conquer stress.

“Dr. Prasad, one of the country’s most successful and original addiction specialists has now offered us a road map for kicking stress.”
Steve Kroft - 60 minutes CBS News correspondent

"A highly personal and insightful account of new approaches to conceptualizing stress and its reduction. This book will be of interest to both general readers and professionals focused on stress disorders."
Fred R Volkmar, M.D. - Irving B. Harris Professor
Director - Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Chief of Child Psychiatry Yale New Haven Hospital

"Dr. Prasad makes a strong case not just for managing stress but for banishing it altogether from your life. I agree completely that any stress is bad stress, no matter what the headlines tell you.  This new book will show you that the stress-free life is indeed possible."
Robert Epstein, Ph.D., former editor-in-chief, Psychology Today
author of “The Big Book of Stress Relief Games”
About the Authors:
Balasa L. Prasad, M.D, is a psychiatrist and anesthesiologist who for over 30 years has helped hundreds of patients overcome their addictions at his behavior management clinic in Mount Vernon, New York. He has also written “Stop Smoking For Good” and “Stop Gambling For Good and “Stop Overeating for good.” He has been featured in the New York Times, New York Post, “O” magazine, Elle Magazine, Inside Edition and “W.” He lives with his family in Westchester County, NY. Visit www.theturningprogram.com for more information.

Preetham Grandhi M.D, Is an Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist working at New York Children’s Psychiatric Center - Bronx Campus, New York. He has incorporated his experiences and complex views of psychological phenomenon from both an Eastern philosophical and Western psychiatric perspective. He is the author of “A Circle of Souls,” an Award winning murder, mystery thriller.

About Cedar Fort: Cedar Fort, Inc. has built a solid catalog of uplifting fiction and non-fiction books that are known across the globe. The company continues to seek ways to serve better. This includes improved production values and Internet access. CFI’s staff continues to grow with many talented people. For more information visit www.cedarfort.com or call 1-800-SKYBOOK