N° 49
Health anxiety
“This headache must be a tumour. I’m sure of it.”
A constant fear of serious illness that normal tests cannot settle. Searching symptoms online makes it worse; therapy helps.
ReadUnderstanding yourself
What is said, and what is underneath.
Studies of the sentences people offer long before they can name what is happening. Starting points for reading, never a diagnosis.
127 studies · Page 3 of 6
N° 50
Early signs of psychosis
“He’s not himself. He thinks his friends are plotting.”
Psychosis often begins quietly in the late teens or twenties. Early treatment is linked to better outcomes.
Read
N° 51
Cannabis and drug-induced psychosis
“It was just ganja, every evening. Then the voices started.”
Daily cannabis and stimulants such as yaba can trigger psychosis. Stopping and treatment help.
Read
N° 52
Delusional disorder
“She is seeing someone. I know it. I have proof.”
A fixed false belief, such as a partner’s infidelity, held with total certainty despite all evidence. Treatment protects everyone.
Read
N° 53
Postpartum psychosis
“Ten days after the birth, she wasn’t making sense.”
A rare but serious emergency after childbirth. With fast treatment, recovery is common.
Read
N° 54
Supporting a relative with psychosis
“My brother is ill, and nobody tells us what to do.”
Families carry much of the care for serious mental illness. Family work can help the patient and the people who love them.
Read
N° 55
Depression in later life
“At my age, what is there to be happy about?”
Depression is not a normal part of growing old. It is common, often missed, and treatable.
Read
N° 56
Mild memory problems
“I used to remember every formula. Now I lose words.”
Not every memory lapse is dementia. Assessment finds treatable causes, and nearly half of dementia cases may be linked to factors we can change.
Read
N° 57
Caring for a parent with dementia
“Ammu doesn’t know me some days. I still have to be there.”
Dementia care falls mostly on families. Support for carers can protect their health and improve care at home.
Read
N° 58
Loneliness
“The children are abroad. The phone rings on Sundays.”
Loneliness affects one in six people and is linked to poorer health as well as unhappiness. Connection can be rebuilt.
Read
N° 59
Alcohol use disorder
“Just two pegs at the club. Then four.”
Drinking that has quietly become a need. Stopping heavy drinking safely can need medical care, and recovery is common.
Read
N° 60
Smoking and nicotine
“I’ll quit after Eid. I said that last Eid too.”
In 2017, over a third of adults in Bangladesh used tobacco. Quitting is hard, and more likely with support.
Read
N° 61
Online betting and gambling
“One more match and I’ll win it all back.”
Betting apps turn every cricket match into a stake. Gambling disorder is a recognised condition, and it is treatable.
Read
N° 62
Gaming and phone overuse
“I’ll stop after this match. It’s 4am.”
Gaming disorder is a WHO diagnosis. When games or scrolling take over sleep, study and life, help can reset the balance.
Read
N° 63
Dependence on sleeping pills
“I can’t sleep a single night without my tablet.”
Sedatives bought without a prescription can lead to dependence. Stopping safely needs a gradual, medical plan.
Read
N° 64
Self-harm
“It’s the only thing that makes the noise stop.”
Self-harm is a sign of overwhelming pain, not attention-seeking. With understanding and the right help, many people find other ways through.
Read
N° 65
Paranoid personality disorder
“Everyone wants something from me. I trust no one.”
A long-standing pattern of suspicion that costs people their relationships and work. Careful therapy can loosen it.
Read
N° 66
Low self-esteem
“I’m just not good enough. Everyone else is so put-together.”
A harsh inner voice that dismisses every success. Low self-esteem is linked to anxiety and depression, and it can change.
Read
N° 67
Vaginismus
“We’ve been married eight months. We still can’t.”
An involuntary tightening that makes intercourse painful or impossible. Common, rarely discussed, and treatable.
Read
N° 68
Erectile dysfunction
“It happened once. Now I worry every time.”
Common, treatable, and sometimes an early warning of heart disease. Worth a confidential conversation.
Read
N° 69
Body dysmorphic disorder
“The new kameez looked perfect. I looked wrong in it.”
Hours lost to a flaw others cannot see. Cosmetic procedures rarely help; specific therapy does.
Read
N° 70
In-law conflict
“In my shashuri’s house, I can never do anything right.”
Joint family tension is part of many marriages in Bangladesh. When it wears down mood, sleep and the marriage, it deserves care.
Read
N° 71
Your first appointment
“What do I even say when I get there?”
What happens at a first consultation with a psychiatrist, and why you do not need the right words.
Read
N° 72
Psychiatrist or psychologist?
“Do I need a psychiatrist, or just someone to talk to?”
The difference between a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a counsellor, and why Dr. Tajreen is trained as both doctor and therapist.
Read