Q What is considered a serious mental illness?

Mental illnesses are serious medical illnesses. They cannot be overcome through "will power" and are not related to a persons "character" or intelligence. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible. According SMI patient having 2-3 following mental symptoms persistent more than 1 year considered as serious mental illness- 1.Feeling, Mood, and Affect: Uncontrolled emotion. Marked change in mood. Depression and/or anxiety incapacitated person. Emotional responses are inappropriate to the situation. 2. Thinking: Severe impairment in concentration, persistence, and pace. Frequent or consistent interference with daily life due to impaired thinking. Presence of delusions and/or hallucinations. Frequent substitution of fantasy for reality. 3. Family: Disruption of family relationships. Family does not function as a unit and experiences frequent turbulence. 4. Interpersonal: Lacks close friends or group affiliations. Socially isolated. 5. Role Performance: Individual is unable to meet usual expectations. Unable to obtain or maintain employment and/or conduct daily living chores such as care of immediate living environment. 6. Socio-legal: Inability to maintain conduct within the limits prescribed by law, rules, and strong mores. Disregard for safety of others. Destructive to property. Involvement with law enforcement. 7. Self Care/Basic Needs: Disruption in the ability to provide for his/her own needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Assistance required in obtaining housing, food and/or clothing. Unable to maintain hygiene, diet, clothing, and prepare food.

Q Will having sex during pregnancy harm my baby?

If you have an absolutely normal pregnancy, you can safely have sex between the 3rd to 8th month. However, if you have any risk factors or complications like spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy, abdominal pains or cramps, broken waters, a history of cervical weakness, a low-lying placenta ( placenta praevia), a history of miscarriage or a twin pregnancy, its best to avoid intercourse. Your gynaecologist is the right person to advise regarding the safety of intercourse keeping your pregnancy (whether normal or risky) in mind.

Q Can HIV spread from kissing?

In most cases HIV virus is not transmitted through saliva. The saliva of an infected person does contain HIV, but the virus is only present there in very small quantities making it next to impossible for the disease or virus to be passed on to another in that way. For instance in the case of two people kissing, if both partners were to have large open sores in their mouths, or if they had severely damaged or bleeding gums then they might transmit the virus through the act of mouth to mouth kissing.

Q whar is the meaning of ESR

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), also called a sedimentation rate or Westergren ESR, is the rate at which red blood cells sediment in a period of one hour. The ESR is increased by any cause or focus of inflammation. The ESR is increased in pregnancy, inflammation, anemia or rheumatoid arthritis, and decreased in polycythemia, sickle cell anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, and congestive heart failure.

Q how to do anal sex? does it creat any problem?

Anal sex is practiced by many heterosexuals, as well as homosexual couples. The anal area has many erotic nerve endings in both men and women. Because of this, many couples (heterosexual or homosexual) can derive pleasure from some form of bottom stimulation. Anal sex should be avoided by couples in which one of the partners has been diagnosed with an STI until the treatment has proven to be effective. In order to make anal sex safer, the couple must ensure that the anal area is clean and the bowel empty and the partner on whom anal penetration occurs should be able to relax. Regardless of whether anal penetration occurs by using a finger or the penis, the condom is the best barrier method to prevent transmission of STI. Since the rectum can be easily damaged, the use of lubricants is highly recommended even when penetration occurs by using the finger. Especially for beginners, using a condom on the finger is both a protection measure against STI and a lubricant source. Most condoms are lubricated and they allow less painful and easier penetration. Anal stimulation with a sex toy requires similar safety measures to anal penetration with a penis, in this case using a condom on the sex toy in a similar way. It is important that the man washes and cleans his penis after anal intercourse if he intends to penetrate the vagina. Bacteria from the rectum are easily transferred to the vagina, which may cause vaginal infections. When anal-oral cos ntact occurs, protection is required since this is a risky sexual behavior in which illnesses as Hepatitis A or STIs can be easily transmitted, as well as enteric infections. The dental dam or the plastic wrap[citation needed] are effective protection means whenever anilingus is performed. Anal sex has a number of health risks. Anal intercourse is the riskiest form of sexual activity for several reasons, including the following: The anus lacks the natural lubrication the vagina has. Penetration can tear the tissue inside the anus, allowing bacteria and viruses to enter the bloodstream. This can result in the spread of sexually transmitted infections including HIV. Exposure to the human papillomavirus (HPV) may also lead to the development of anal warts and anal cancer. Using lubricants can help some, but doesnt completely prevent tearing. The tissue inside the anus is not as well protected as the skin outside theanus. Our external tissue has layers of dead cells that serve as a protective barrier against infection. The tissue inside the anus does not have this natural protection, which leaves it vulnerable to tearing and the spread of infection. The anus was designed to hold in feces. Repetitive anal sex may lead to weakening of the anal sphincter, making it difficult to hold in feces until you can get to the toilet. The anus is full of bacteria. Even if both partners do not have a sexually-transmitted infection or disease, bacteria normally in the anus can potentially infect the giving partner. Practicing vaginal sex after anal sex can also lead to vaginal and urinary tract infections.

Q Hairfall after delivery is it common how can i deal with it?

A hair cycle consists of 3 phases: anagen (growing), catogen (stoppage of growth and blood supply) and telogen(resting) phases. Normally upto 90% of hair are in the growing phase, 10-14% in the resting phase and 1-2% in the falling phase. Pregnancy and childbirth are stressful events for the body which pushes a lot of hair prematurely in the resting phase (telogen effluvium). This results in a large quantity of sudden hairfall. However, dont worry, this condition is temporary. In six months, the hair reverts back to its normal growth cycle. In the meanwhile, make sure you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and remain stress free.

Q Can I get a vasectomy reversal at NHS ?

Vasectomy is known as male sterilisation. The procedure works by preventing sperm from the testes, reaching the semen that is ejaculated during orgasm. This is achieved by cutting or blocking the tubes that carry sperm from the testes to the penis. Vasectomy reversal is not usually available on the NHS. You need to talk with your gynecologist regarding this.

Q Can a girl get pregnant without inserting? Just touch outside her vagina.

A girl can get pregnant only when the sperms enter the vagina. But this can happen even if you ejaculate near her vaginal opening. Please do not take any unnecessary risk. Either use a condom or stay as far from the vagina as possible.

Q Can Sexually transmitted diseases like AIDs and Herpes be contracted just by kissing?

Kissing on mouth can transmit herpes. It is believed that the risk of catching HIV by kissing is relatively low but there is a chance of infection if a person has cut or sore in the mouth. Sexually transmitted diseases can spread from almost all types of sex including oral sex.

Q Hi, I sometimes get a "twinge" in my left chest, sort of in the crease of my breast. It doesnt happen after exertion but at any time, even at night in bed - Im scared theres something wrong with my heart.

Twinge or sudden sharp pain is very common presentation of chest pain and most of the times it is not related to heart. Very rarely this pain indicate coronary artery disease. Moreover since the pain is not related to exertion and comes anytime, it is less likely related to heart conditions. One probable cause for your pain could be indigestion. However it is advisable that you get yourself examined by your family physician once to rule out anything serious.