Dhat’s life: A beginner’s guide to semen loss syndrome

 

According to a short paper by Dr. Om Prakash in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, dhat syndrome comprises various psychological, somatic and sexual symptoms attributed by the patient to the passing of whitish fluid, believed to be semen in ...urine (i.e., psychological distress and anxiety related to semen-loss). Prakash says that the word ‘dhat’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘dhatu’ (which has multiple meanings including ‘metal’, ‘elixir’ and ‘constituent part of the body’). He also noted that:

“This notion of seminal loss frightens the individual into developing a sense of doom if a single drop of semen is lost, thereby producing a series of somatic symptoms…fear of semen loss and resulting problems [in India] is so strong that cures are advertised by vaids and hakims everywhere – on walls, on television, in newspapers and on roadside hoardings”.

http://drmarkgriffiths.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/dhats-life-a-beginners-guide-to-semen-loss-syndrome/

The term ‘Dhat syndrome’ was first described by Dr. N.N. Wig in a 1960 issue of the (Indian) Journal of Clinical and Social Psychiatry, and then by Dr. J.S. Neki in the British Journal of Psychiatry (1973). A 1975 paper by Dr. H.K. Malhotra and Dr. N.N. Wig in the Archives of Sexual Behavior called dhat “the exotic neurosis of the Orient”.

According to a short paper by Dr. Om Prakash in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, dhat syndrome comprises various psychological, somatic and sexual symptoms attributed by the patient to the passing of whitish fluid, believed to be semen in urine (i.e., psychological distress and anxiety related to semen-loss). Prakash says that the word ‘dhat’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘dhatu’ (which has multiple meanings including ‘metal’, ‘elixir’ and ‘constituent part of the body’). He also noted that:
“This notion of seminal loss frightens the individual into developing a sense of doom if a single drop of semen is lost, thereby producing a series of somatic symptoms…fear of semen loss and resulting problems [in India] is so strong that cures are advertised by vaids and hakims everywhere – on walls, on television, in newspapers and on roadside hoardings”.

The anxiety surrounding the semen loss can also relate to the releasing of semen via nocturnal emissions (i.e., ‘wet dreams’) and masturbation. The symptoms include fatigue, listlessness, appetite loss, lack of physical strength, poor concentration, forgetfulness, guilt, and (in some cases) sexual dysfunction. Given the syndrome relates to psychological anxiety surrounding semen loss, the disorder is (necessarily) found among men, but interestingly, the dhat syndrome has also been applied to women who experience similar symptoms relating to white vaginal discharge). According to an online article on CBSs, it claims that:

“The anxiety related to semen loss can be traced back thousands of years to Ayurvedic texts, where the loss of a single drop of semen, the most precious body fluid, could destabilize the entire body”

The duration of the symptoms can be relatively short-lived (e.g., 3-12 months) but some papers report people suffering for up to 20 years. Prakash lists the most common co-morbid disorders and sexual dysfunctions associated with dhat. This included depressive neurosis (40%-42%), anxiety neurosis (21%-38%), somatoform and hypochondriasis (32%-40%), erectile dysfunction (22%-62%), and premature ejaculation (22%-44%). Prakash also reports that the majority (i.e., two-thirds) of dhat sufferers recover (66%), with the remainder either improved (22%) or unchanged (12%).

Anger and its management...........

 

गुस्सा भी इमोशन का एक प्रकार है, जानें इसके क्या नुकसान?

 

मनोचिकित्सक डॉ. ओमप्रकाश कहते हैं, तुरंत गुस्से का अधिक स्तर आमतौर पर उन लोगों में ज्यादा देखने को मिलता है, जो सामान्य स्थिति में खुश नहीं रहते, जिन्हें खुश रहने की आदत नहीं होती, जिनमें खुश रहने की प्रवृत्ति नहीं होती। ऐसे लोग गुस्सा होने... के लिए बस बहाने की तलाश में रहते हैं। जरा-सी बात कोई उन्हें मिली नहीं कि दहक उठते हैं। दरअसल जो लोग ज्यादा समय तक तनाव में रहते हैं या जिन लोगों की जिंदगी में खुश रहने के अवसर कम होते हैं, ऐसे लोगों की मस्तिष्क की कोशकिाएं गुस्से के लिए अनुकूल स्थिति में ढली होती हैं। ये जरा-सी बात पर इतनी जल्दी और इतने बड़े स्तर पर सक्रिय हो जाती हैं कि सामान्य व्यक्ति अंदाजा ही नहीं लगा पाता कि आखिर सामने वाले को इस तरह गुस्सा क्यों आ रहा है? जब गुस्से का नशा दिलोदिमाग पर हावी हो जाता है तो आदमी वहशी दरिंदा हो जाता है। उस पल वह चाहकर भी ऐसा कुछ नहीं सोच पाता, जिसमें तर्क हो, जो सकारात्मक बात हो। वह उस समय परिणाम की कतई परवाह नहीं करता। गुस्से की किसी भी हद को पार कर जाना चाहता है।

http://hindi.newsyaps.com/ager-is-a-kind-of-emotion-know-what-the-loss-of-it/16355

Wall street wrote about sex myths in India

Sean Mclain from Wallstreet Journal wrote:

Dhat sufferers “believe that that if they lose semen apart from through intercourse, then it is a loss of masculinity,” said Om Prakash, a psychiatrist who treats patients with the disorder.

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/11/25/the-problems-indias-sex-guru-faces/
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB30001424052702304465604579219472957573500


Clearly Indians know a thing or two about sex. After all, there are 1.2 billion of them. But what they don’t know can cause failed marriages and mental illness, said Dr. Watsa...

Some of the couples he counsels tell him they avoid sex because they fear it is unhygienic or will cause internal injuries, attitudes he attributes to a widespread lack of sex education in India.

Traditional sources of information sometimes do more harm than good, he said, pointing to the 10th-century Khajuraho temple, which is decorated with sculptures of couples entwined in exotic – and acrobatic – poses.

The temple, in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, is a popular destination for Indian honeymooners.

Few schools in India teach sex education. And misinformation about sex abounds.

Indeed, misconceptions about sex are so deep rooted that there are psychiatric disorders unique to India, including one termed Dhat syndrome.

Traditional Ayurvedic beliefs hold that sperm is produced from blood, and people fear that emitting sperm will weaken them and make them ill – echoing Gen. Jack Ripper’s obsession with “precious bodily fluids” in Dr. Strangelove.

Dhat sufferers “believe that that if they lose semen apart from through intercourse, then it is a loss of masculinity,” said Om Prakash, a psychiatrist who treats patients with the disorder.

 

Belief system in India about saints...............a view

A view on belief system over BABAS/Saints in India...A newstory published in Nayee Dunia by Sandeep Gupta, reporter
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=679021025465726&set=a.186685764699257.41662.100000735056469&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=679021025465726&set=a.186685764699257.41662.100000735056469&type=1&theater

Problems for elderly......medical care is there...must read for elderly

http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/10-conditions-that-ail-the-elderly/

Alzheimer’s: This is a condition that is characterised by the loss of memory. ‘Alzheimer’s is a kind of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. It is found in close to 80% of those suffering from dementia and is therefore the most common type.’ Commonly seen in the elderly, this condition is largely misdiagnosed since loss of memory is commonly thought to be due to old age. ‘The patient suffers damage in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. Memory loss and confusion become worse, and the person begins to have problems recognising family and friends.’
 
Parkinson’s: ‘Parkinson’s disease is an illness, which affects the brain, in which certain nerve cells – which play an important role in motor functions of the body – are lost or die. The loss of nerve cells takes place slowly, and gradually spreads to several areas of the brain, as a result, new symptoms gradually develop over time and the initial symptoms become more difficult to control.’ This condition is commonly seen in the elderly due to the fact that as we age, our body tends to degrade as well. Classified by the presence of tremors, the hallmark of this disease is the presence of tremors even while the patient is still. ‘Patients with Parkinson’s disease may also have difficulty maintaining balance, walking and tend to fall even when they are slightly off-balance, however, this usually occurs much later in the disease. Other common symptoms include a change in the quality of voice, stooped posture and change in handwriting.

Arthritis: People usually develop osteoarthritis after the age of 40. It is a condition that is caused due to the wear and tear of cartilage. Although there are other reasons for this condition, like an over-active autoimmune system that causes rheumatoid arthritis, the one caused due to old age (osteoarthritis) is most commonly seen in the elderly. As a person grows, the cartilage that is present between two bones, slowly starts to degrade. Soon it reaches a point where it becomes extremely thin and allows the bones to rub against each other. This causes pain, inflammation and difficulty in moving the joint.

Diabetes: Approximately 6.13 million people suffer from diabetes in India. Although the numbers on the record are high, the untreated and undiagnosed numbers could be much more. In the elderly, the most common type of diabetes seen is type 2 diabetes. It is believed that this condition is due to the decline in their body’s ability to use insulin. ‘The reason controlling diabetes is so important is because it directly translates to reducing the risk of developing problems like heart attacks, stroke, loss of blood circulation in the limbs, kidney disorders and eye disorders.’

Disk prolapse: This is a condition where the cartilage present between the vertebrae shift out of position, leading to the compression of the spinal column and the nerves extending out into the rest of the body. The most common symptoms of this condition are a tingling feeling in the hands or legs, lower back pain, numbness in the arms or legs etc. This is again a fairly common condition in the elderly because the cartilage tend to degrade making them thinner and therefore more vulnerable to slipping out of place.

Urinary incontinence: This is a condition where the person cannot hold or control the flow of his/her urine. The most common symptom is that when the person laughs or sneezes a small amount of urine leaks out. Eventually leading to them wetting themselves. Urinary incontinence is a condition that is caused due to the weakening of the sphincter muscles (muscles that control the flow of urine). One of the most common methods of resolving this condition is to use adult diapers that can soak the excess urine. Other methods include the use of exercises like the Kegel exercise to strengthen the muscle.

Stroke: This is a condition where there is a block in one of the arteries leading to brain. This causes the brain to suffer from lack of blood and oxygen causing that region to stop functioning. Elderly people are more likely to suffer from this condition since they might have other co-morbid conditions that lead to the formation of blood clots within the blood vessels. The common symptoms of this condition are sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body, sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, sudden trouble seeing on one side, sudden, severe difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

Cancer: According to a study, the prevalent types of cancers seen in the elderly are prostrate, colon, breast, lung and stomach cancer. According to the paper, people above the age of 65 are more prone to these types of cancer. Although the exact reason as to why it occurs is unknown, many believe that it is due to the gradual degradation of the cells, mutations in the cells and the gradual drop in one’s immune system make elderly people more prone to the disease.

Tremors: This is a condition where the person’s hands or legs shake or shiver uncontrollably while they are performing functions like writing, lifting objects, etc. Tremors are seen in most elderly and the condition is called essential tremors. It is caused due to the slow degradation of the nerves and passage of impulses between the brain and the limb that is at work. Tremors may also be a symptom of other conditions like movement disorders, Parkinson’s, etc. ‘Tremors can be because of deficiencies in vitamins, stress or be essential tremors. Tremors are accompanied with imbalance, and are commonly due to mild strokes in the part of the brain controlling balance. Here, physical aids and gait training helps. Treating the primary cause of the stroke is of course mandatory.’

Dementia: This is a condition where the person loses cognitive ability and starts to act unlike himself/herself. It is a progressive condition and is one of the hallmark symptoms of conditions like Alzheimer’s. Some of the common symptoms of this condition are memory loss, problems performing everyday functions, problems with language, disorientation to time and place and poor or decreased abilities of judgement. This condition afflicts the elderly due to the breakdown of their brain and its normally functioning pathways.
 

“Healthy lifestyle keeps dementia at bay” - The Hindu

“Healthy lifestyle keeps dementia at bay” - The Hindu

The group of risk factors one can influence are those causing heart disease — Hypertension, Obesity (hyper) Lipidaemia and Diabetes (HOLD). Add smoking to this, and what you have is a potential cocktail of risks for not only heart attacks, but also dementia.

 

“The right exercise - something that makes you sweat, and increases your heart rate. We have to do that at least 150 minutes a week. It might sound like a lot, but it is not too bad if we can incorporate it into our lifestyle,” Walking to the store, taking the stairs instead of elevators and maybe brisk walking before having a meal can help.

 

Studies have shown that taking up weight or resistance training is good for improving memory function. “You don’t even have to do much. Just 20 minutes three times a week, and it can be done even when you are watching the television…you could lift cans or water bottles in each hand,” she says.

Wanted: more care for dementia - The Hindu

Wanted: more care for dementia - The Hindu

There is loss of inhibition, irritability, topographic disorientation, forgetting the identity of relatives, irrelevant talk and some patients even turn violent at times,” he said. He stressed the need to improve awareness of dementia among the public.

More than the incidence though, what doctors are worried about is the massive shortage of caregivers. The World Alzheimer’s Report 2013 said the epidemic of Alzheimer’s was creating a shortage of caregivers and that families lacked support to cope with the disease. It calls for additional support to lessen the burden on the individual and said that dementia needed to be a public health priority.

“Often, the spouse takes care of the patient and usually they tend to get burned out by the constant, everyday cycle of caring. What we need are residential or day-care centres,”