Your little one has started taking baby steps towards learning process and you are already freaking out. This is the age when the parents should start inculcating good habits in their children. Developing good habits like taking part in healthy morning meeting activities is a process and takes time. Don’t rush yourself.

Follow these 11 tips shared below:

• Start with basics: You should start with the basic things like brushing teeth, washing hands before and after a meal, eating food by themselves, taking a shower, hygiene etc. It’s never too early to begin these habits.
• Set yourself as a role model: Children always learn from their parents. They try to imitate their elders. Before teaching your children, you should implement what you are going to teach your child.
• Imbibe Good manners: Teach your child how to be polite and gentle, how to behave properly in front of guests and how to behave with elders as well as peers. Teach him the meaning and usage of phrases like thank you, sorry, welcome and like.
• Create a positive environment: Your child should feel happy and positive around you. It may happen that your youngster has made some mistake for which you feel like yelling. This creates a negative reinforcement in the child. Instead of shouting and scolding, you can make him understand his mistake and why he should not repeat it in future. Don’t use abusive language before your children.
• Have family dinners: Having dinner with family on the same table creates a sense of family attachment in the child. While eating with the family, your child is less likely to consume unhealthy food.
• Physical activity: Physical activity not only includes outdoor games or sports but also household chores like arranging book shelf, keeping toys at proper place, walking the dog and like. This not only imbibes a feeling of bonding within the child but also develops a sense of responsibility.
• Reward your child: You can reward your children on completion of certain task or for some behavior. He will be motivated to maintain his good behavior. But mind it that never reward your child with materialistic things like video games or chocolates. Try to come up with other ways to celebrate his good behavior. Take him to a long drive, go for a swimming together, play some games or even some simple words of appreciation will do.
• Read out stories to your kid: You may have a hectic schedule but do take some time out to read stories to him. Choose stories like good over bad or fables. In this way your child will get to know the morals. His vocabulary will also improve. Also encourage him to read the books by himself.
• Value his opinions: Many people do not seem to realize that kids have their say and opinion. Ask them about what they think of a particular situation. You can also ask his opinion about any family function. The child will feel valuable.
• Set a time table: Once he starts going school, prepare a time table for him and specify his time for every activity including, playing, watching TV or studying. Be flexible. Let him skip some activities or do them later when he asks.
• Be realistic with your expectations:  Each child’s learning capability is different. Don’t force him to hurry. It’s okay to let him progress at his own pace. Don’t compare him with other children. Like adults, children too do not like being compared.

India is a culturally rich country. It is rightly said that there is “unity in diversity”. From north –south and east-west, diversity can be seen in all realms, be it food, lifestyle, festivals, clothing, language and like. Today, let us visit the beautiful Indian state Gujarat. This state is famous for many things and Bandhani print is one of them.

Bandhani, also known as Bandhej, is a type of tie and dye technique in which the cloth is plucked with fingernails into numerous tiny bindings to form a figurative design. Bandhani means bandh (to tie or to bind) in Sanskrit. Indus Valley Civilization artifacts suggest that Bandhani dyeing was done as early as 4000 B.C. Historical evidence indicates that the first Bandhani saree was worn in a royal wedding at the time of Bana Bhatt’s Harshacharita. It was believed that wearing Bandhani saree brings good luck to the bride.

Bandhani is an art form that requires high level of expertise. The fabric is dyed and tightly tied with a thread at several points, thereby producing various patterns like Chandrakala, Bavan Baug, Shikari  etc. The pattern depends on the style of tying the cloth. Red, green, yellow, blue and black colours are mainly used in Bandhani. The colours used are mostly natural.

Once the fabric has been tightly tied, the tied area is dipped in for dye bath of bright colours. A cloth of one meter can have thousands of tiny knots. After the dye bath, the fabric is dried in open air. The weather determines how long drying will take. It takes 4-5 hours in summers and 7-8 hours in winters. The tied portion does not get coloured and remains the same colour as that of the fabric. Then the knots are opened to form dazzling designs and twirls. Depending upon the tying pattern of the fabric, it can produce different patterns like Ekdali (single knot), Boond (small dot with a dark centre), Trikunti (three knots) etc. Often Bandhani prints are adorned with mirror work to give them an elegant look.

There are several names for the final products such as Khombi, Gharchola, Patori, and Chandrokhani.

This is mainly a family trade and women of such families work in their homes. The fabric tying is easy but time consuming job. Bandhani is mainly made in Bhuj, Jamnagar, Mandavi, Jethpur, Pethapur, Anjar and Rajkot. However, Bhuj is known for its red and maroon Bandhani as the water of Bhuj gives a special brightness to these colours.

Bandhani has tasted great success, both nationally and globally. Several textile garments have been made from Bandhani using new colors, designs, and natural dyes developed by skilled artisans. Not only women clothes but Bandhani designs have found place in men’s garments too.

Bandhani designs appeal to Indians as well as to global consumers. It has found valuable space in different accessories and garments and has become a huge trend. A tradition that has existed for centuries, Bandhani will be here for many years to come.

A veto is the power to stop an official action unilaterally, such as enactment of legislation. Let us see the veto power of President in respect of Indian politics.

When the Parliament passes a bill, it is sent to the President for his assent. Only then the bill becomes a law. Upon presenting a bill to the President for his assent, he has the following options:

1. He may give his assent.
2. He may not give his assent (veto).
3. He may return the bill (except money bill) to the Parliament for reconsideration. In such case, if the Parliament passes the bill, with or without amendments, and again presents it to the President for his assent; he must give his assent to the bill.

The president has veto power over the bill in the sense that he can withhold his assent to the bill. The objective of veto is to prevent an unconstitutional legislation and to prevent rushed and injudicious legislation.

The Presidents of other countries enjoy 4 types of veto rights – absolute veto, qualified veto, suspensive veto and pocket veto. But President of India has only 3 veto rights – absolute veto, suspensive veto and pocket veto.

Absolute veto: It refers to the withholding of President’s assent to a bill (passed by the Parliament). Then the bill does not become an act. This power is exercised in 2 situations:

1. Bills which are introduced by any Parliament member who is not a minister. These are called private members’ bills.
2. Once the government bills are passed, the cabinet resigns and the new cabinet advises the president not to give his assent.

Suspensive veto: When a bill, not assented by the President is returned to the Parliament for reconsideration, and the bill is again passed by the Parliamentary by the same majority (with or without amendments), it becomes mandatory for the President to assent the bill. This is called suspensive veto. This is not applicable in case of money bills. The President has to assent a money bill as passed by the Parliament with his prior permission.

Pocket veto: The President neither assents nor rejects the bill. He does not return the bill to the Parliament. Instead, he holds the bill for an indefinite period of time. As far as the constitution is concerned, it does not mandate any time limit within which the President must decide on a bill submitted to him for his assent. But in USA, the President needs to return the bill for reconsideration within 10 days.

Anyhow, there is no power of veto for the President in relation to constitutional amendments.

President can also apply veto in case of state legislation. A bill passed by state legislatures can become an act only if it is assented by the Governor or the President.

When a bill which has been passed by the state legislature is presented before the Governor, he may:

1. Give his assent to the bill
2. Withhold his assent
3. Return the bill (except money bill) for reconsideration.
4. Reserve the bill for the consideration of the President.

If a bill has been reserved for assent by the Governor, the President has the following options:

1. He may assent the bill
2. He may withhold the bill
3. He may instruct the Governor to return the bill to the state legislature for reconsideration. If the bill is again passed by the state legislature, with or without amendment, and is presented to the President for his assent, he is not bound to give his assent to the bill.

Also, the President can exercise pocket veto in case of state legislation.

There is nothing newness to the fact that drinking water is good for health. Lore has it that you should drink 8 glasses of water every day. Is that so? Let’s check.

Each individual’s body is different. Consequently, every person’s water needs shall differ. It also depends on other factors such as your health condition, your physical activities and geographical location. There is no thumb rule regarding the quantity of water intake. But having a better idea of your body’s needs for fluids will make it easier for you to figure out how much water to drink. Drinking glasses are essential vessels for consuming beverages, crafted from various materials like glass, plastic, or crystal, each designed to enhance the enjoyment of different drinks.

Now let us see the health benefits of this wonder fluid.

• Water keeps you hydrated. Even water loss of an amount as small as 1 percent can drain out your energy. Your body needs adequate quantity of water to perform day to day activities.
• Water helps to reduce oxidative stress that occurs during an intense workout session.
• Helps in proper brain functioning.
• Treats headaches. National Institutes of Health studied 393 people and found out that 40 percent of them had headache due to dehydration.
• Staying hydrated is important for smooth bowel functioning.
• Prevents the formation of kidney stones. Once formed, drinking water may help in passing the smaller stones.
• Assists in weight loss.
• Provides cushion to joints and prevents muscle sprain.

An adult human body is 60 percent water and our blood is 90 percent water. So you know that water is an indispensable element for human body.

How much water to consume?

According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, an average healthy adult should consume:

Men – About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids each day

Women – About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids each day

This covers fluids from water, other beverages and food. Usually only about 20 percent of daily fluid intake comes from food, with the rest coming from beverages.

8 glasses of water a day – Is it a myth?

There is no scientific evidence to prove that you should drink 8 glasses of water. An athlete may need even more and for some people lesser than 8 glasses can be sufficient. You need to adjust your fluid intake based on several factors:

• You need more water in hot and humid weather as compared to winters.
• If you do workouts, you will need greater amount of fluids.
• You need additional fluids during pregnancy and breast-feeding to stay hydrated.

Other sources of fluid:

Water is not the only source of hydration. Your Daily intake of food like soup, tea, coffee, green vegetables, fruits like cucumber, watermelon provide hydration. Your water intake will depend on your hydration sources.

Is overconsumption of water dangerous?

Yes it is. Our body cells need water to function smoothly. But excess water can cause them to swell. Even the brain cells swell leading to drowsiness and headache. Ultimately, it will lead to hypertension or bradycardia. Over hydration causes hyponatremia because sodium is the electrolyte most affected by it. Sodium is a significant element that helps regulate fluid exchange between cells. When its levels fall as a result of high water content in the body, fluids get into the cells. This may result in seizures, coma or even death.

How to know if you are over hydrated?

You body will show sign of over hydration:

• Frequent urination
• Colour of urine is clear or transparent
• Nausea
• Swollen feet, hands or lips

Know the story of a MBA dropout who went on to become a multi-millionaire chaiwala (meaning tea seller).

A 25-year old MBA dropout now runs a cafeteria with more than 50 outlets throughout India. Prafull Billore, founder and owner of MBA Chaiwala started this organization in the year 2017. He is also TEDx and Josh Talks Speaker. He has featured in BBC, CNN, TOI, ZEE and other such platforms. He has also delivered lectures in many colleges, including IIM Ahmedabad.

Prafull belongs to a small town Dhar in Indian state Madhya Pradesh. He was pursuing MBA from Ahmedabad University. He also started doing a part time job at McDonald’s to have an experience of professional work. Soon he lost interest in his studies and left midway. He also realized that earnings at this rate would never make him rich. “How will I become a big man if even after MBA I’d work like this?”says Prafull.

In the year 2017, he started a tea cart on SG Highway in Ahmedabad. Despite opposition from family and friends, he saw nothing wrong in MBA Chaiwala which stands for Mr. Billore Chaiwala. Initially, he struggled with tea making. But he knew that tea being the most preferred drink in India, people will drink it anyway. Soon he mastered the art of making tea. Moreover, seeing an English speaking man selling tea, people were fascinated by his cart. His tea cart started gaining popularity. He also tried different things like organizing cricket matches, ludo games, and also put up a whiteboard where people could leave messages for their dear ones.

After running the tea cart for two years, Prafull expanded into a franchise café in Bhopal. Once started off as a cart, MBA Chaiwala now runs 50+ stores throughout India and plans to open 100 outlets by the end of this year.

The young entrepreneur has also set up a MBA Chaiwala Academy. A combination of his inspiring storyline and his adeptness on social media led to a large following, which he says played a pivotal role in establishing his brand. He talks about entrepreneurship on social media, pointing out the limitless possibilities open to everyone who wants to pursue their goals.

Degree-based learning restricts you to explore as the path is already defined. But in skill-based learning, you get to explore and feed your curiosity.

That’s why: Skill-based learning > degree-based learning.

 

Prafull Billore

On 8^th December 2005, it was decided by United Nations General Assembly that 4th April of every year will be observed as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. It aimed at creating national mine action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war pose a serious threat to civilians with the joint efforts of the United Nations and the countries as well as other relevant organizations.

Theme: The 2022 theme of the United Nations Mine Action Service is “Safe Ground, Safe Steps, Safe Home.”

Safe Ground is the name of the global campaign “turning minefields into playing fields,” It works for creating a safe environment for development by clearing the earth of landmines and other explosive hazards. The campaign was launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2019.

Safe Steps is about the apprehension faced by the civilians when they move around not knowing whether that step would be their last step.

Safe Home aims to restore the personal and communal security of individuals and communities after a conflict has ended.

History: In 1997, Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, commonly known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention was opened for signature. 164 countries ratified to it. On 12 November 2006, the Secretary-General hailed the entry of force of Protocol V on explosive remnants of war from the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. In December 2008, the Convention on Cluster Munitions was opened for signature. This move was welcomed by the Secretary-General. 108 states supported this convention. In 2018, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) convoked and led the drafting of the United Nations Mine Action Strategy 2019-2023.  The strategy had two major aspects – accountability framework for the United Nations System and Theory of Change for the United Nations engagement in mine action.

Since its inception over 20 years ago, UNMAS has attempted to address the needs of affected people as well as the dangers of explosive hazards faced by civilians, peacekeepers, and humanitarian personnel.

Significance: In celebration of International Day for Mine Awareness, people are encouraged to consider providing assistance for mine action efforts, raise awareness of the hazards posed by landmines, and work towards eradicating them.

It is a known fact that Indian constitution is the world’s lengthiest constitution. The Constituent Assembly took 2 years, 11 months and 17 days to complete the celebrated task of drafting the Constitution. We always talk about the Drafting Committee headed by Dr. BR Ambedkar, Father of Indian Constitution; but many still do not know that there were 15 great women who contributed in the drafting of constitution. Let us have a look at the lives of these remarkable ladies:

• Ammu Swaminathan – Born in 1894 in Palakkad, Kerala, Ammu Swaminathan belonged to an upper caste Brahmin family. She was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and took part in India’s struggle for independence. After independence, in 1946, she became one of the members of the Constituent Assembly of India. She vocalized on fundamental rights and directive principles. In 1952, she was elected a member of the Lok Sabha and then to Rajya Sabha in 1954. Later in 1960, she also served as a President of the Bharat Scouts and Guides.  With keen interest in movies, she went on to become the Vice President of the Federation of Film Societies and the Censor Board.

• Dakshayani Velayudhan – Dakshayani Velayudhan was born on 4^th July 1912 in Ernakulam, Kerala. She belonged to the lower caste Pulayar community. She was the first Scheduled Caste woman graduate in India, a science graduate, a member of the Cochin Legislative Council. She and her husband, R. Velayudhan were the first scheduled caste couple in the parliament.

She advocated for untouchability, forced labor, reservations, and separate electorates for Dalits.

• Begum Aizaz Rasul – Begum Qudsia Aijaz Rasul, born on 2^nd April 1909, was the only Muslim woman in the Constituent Assembly. She hailed from a princely family of Malerkotla, Punjab. She entered into electoral politics in 1937 when she was elected as a member of the U.P. Legislative Assembly. She played a key role in popularizing hockey for Indian women. She presided the Indian Women Hockey Federation for 20 years. She was also the president of the Asian Women’s Hockey Federation.

She was a member of the Minority Rights Drafting Subcommittee. She opposed the reservation for minorities in legislative assemblies, the partition of India and feudal practices like the zamindari system.

She herself defied many traditional norms like the purdah system.

She was awarded the Padma Bhushan for her contributions to social work in 2000.

• Durgabai Deshmukh – Lady Deshmukh was a freedom fighter, politician and a public activist for women liberation. She founded the Andhra Mahila Sabha in 1937. She was also the founder chairperson of Central Social Welfare Board. She was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and following his footsteps participated in Salt Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience Movement. She was the first chairperson of the National Council on Women’s Education, which was established by the Government of India in 1958.

She was the only woman in the panel of chairmen in the Constituent Assembly. She proposed issues like inclusion of national language, judicial independence and human trafficking.

• Hansa Jivraj Mehta – She was born on 3^rd July 1897 in a Nagar Brahmin family in Baroda, Gujarat. As advised by Mahatma Gandhi, she participated in various freedom movement activities. In 1926, she was elected to Bombay Schools Committee. In 1945, she presided the All India Women’s’ Conference. She represented India in the Nuclear Sub-Committee on the status of women in 1946. In 1947–48, while with the UN Human Rights Commission, she changed the language of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to “all human beings are born free and equal”, highlighting the need for gender equality. She held different posts from 1945-1960 – the vice-chancellor of SNDT Women’s University, member of All India Secondary Board of Education, president of Inter University Board of India among others. She also wrote several books in her lifetime.

• Kamla Chaudhary – She was a story writer in Hindi. In 1930, she participated in Civil Disobedience Movement and was arrested several times. In 1946, she was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Uttar Pradesh. She was the Senior Vice-Chairman of All India Congress Committee. Throughout her life, she worked for education of girls in villages and backward areas. She encouraged the Khadi and Village industries which had the potential to provide employment of young women.

• Leela Roy – Born on 2^nd October 1900, she was the only woman of Bengal in the Constituent Assembly. She was the first woman to get admission in the University of Dhaka and completed her M.A. She was the founder of Dipali Sangha, Chhatri Sangha, Dacca Mahila Satyagraha Sangha, Bengal Provincial Congress Women’s Organization and Jayita Mahila Sanghati. In 1931, she started publishing Jayasree, the name being suggested by Rabindranath Tagore.

She was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in  1946, after her release from prison suffered due to participation in Quit India Movement.

• Malati Choudhury – She was one of the first women Marxist leaders in India. She played an important role in Indian independence movement. She was born on 26^th July 1904 in Bihar. Her ancestral origin was Dhaka. She was a Gandhian and during the Salt Satyaghraha, she and her husband joined Indian National Congress. In 1933, she founded Utkal Congress Samajvadi Karmi Sangh along with her husband which came to be known as the Orissa Provincial Branch of the All India Congress Socialist Party. She had also set up Bajiraut Chhatravas, Utkal Navajeevan Mandal and the Postbasic School at Champatimunda, near Angul, Orissa.

• Purnima Banerjee – She was an active participant in Salt March and Quit India Movement, and thereby, was also imprisoned. Her steadfast commitment to socialist ideas was one of the most striking aspects of her speeches in the Constituent Assembly. Being the secretary of the Indian National Congress Committee in Allahabad, she was responsible for organizing trade unions, kisan meetings and work towards rural development.

•  Rajkumari Amrit Kaur – She was born on 2^nd February 1887 in Lucknow. She was the first Health Minister of India in 1947 and remained in position for next 10 years. She played a crucial role in establishment of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi and became its first president.  She was also a contributory in setting up Indian Council of Child Welfare. She was the Chairperson of Indian Red Cross Society for 14 years. She served as president of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Tuberculosis Association of India, and the St. John’s Ambulance Corps until her death.

She was named TIME Magazine’s Woman of the Year in 1947.

• Renuka Ray – In 1934. She became the legal secretary of the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC). There, she submitted a document titled ‘Legal Disabilities of Women in India; A Plea for a Commission of Enquiry’. She supported a uniform personal law code, and said that the position of Indian women was one of the most iniquitous in the world. She was a member of Central Legislative Assembly in 1943. She served as a Minister of Relief & Rehabilitation, West Bengal during 1952-57. In 1959, she headed a committee on Social Welfare and Welfare of Backward Classes, popularly known as Renuka Ray Committee.

•  Sarojini Naidu – Sarojini Naidu, popularly known as the Nightingale of India, was the first Indian woman to be the president of the Indian National Congress and to be appointed as an Indian state governor. She participated in non-cooperation movement. She had an active participation in Indian politics and worked with Mahatma Gandhi. She was popular for her literary mastery and was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1914.

• Sucheta Kripalani – She was born in June 1908 in Punjab. She was an active participant in Indian independence movement and joined Quit India Movement. She set up the All India Mahila Congress in 1940. She was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and remained in office till 1967. She was the first woman Chief Minister of India.

•  Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit – She was the sister of Jawahar Lal Nehru. She was the first woman to hold a cabinet position in pre-independence India – minister of local self-government and public health. She was India’s ambassador to Soviet Union, United States, Mexico, Ireland and Spain during different time periods. She presided the United Nations General Assembly in 1953. She became the first woman to hold this position.

• Annie Mascarene – One of the first women to join the Travancore State Congress, she later became a member of its Working Committee. Among the 10 candidates for the parliamentary elections, she was the first woman from Kerala to be elected. She also served as a Minister in Charge of Health and Power for a brief period.

My child doesn’t want to read. What should I do?

My child is so engrossed in TV and internet, how to make him read books?

How can I develop reading habits in my little one?

Sounds familiar, right? This is something every mother is facing nowadays. With so much exposure to the virtual world, making your children read has become a daunting task. I am sharing 12 simple yet effective tips and tricks to help you inculcate reading habits in your children:

• Read him stories regularly – Make it a habit to read at least one short story to your child from one year age. Even a one page story will do. He may not understand everything but soon he will develop interest in your stories.

• Let him sit on your lap and read out loud – This physical connection between the parent and child makes your toddler comfortable. Read loudly. Books read aloud to children stimulate their imaginations and expand their knowledge. He will enjoy the story listening session. Soon you will notice that he is also trying to read with you.

• Set a fixed time for his reading – Make your tot realize that reading is as essential as other daily chores like eating, playing, sleeping and like. To inculcate this feeling, set a fixed time for his reading. It may be 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes in the evening. You can set the time as per your convenience.

• Gift books – Make your baby’s special occasions more special by gifting him books. There is more to the phrase “books are a gift of life”. Books always make better gifts than toys.

• Don’t over-expect – Each child is different. Don’t put high expectations like “my kid will read for this and this much time everyday”. You should not bother if he is giving a short span of time to his books. Let him progress at his own rate. Your pushing can disconcert your kid’s interest towards reading.

• Let him read anything of his choice – Your little one may love reading Doraemon stories or Barbie stories and you think like “This has no value”. Don’t fret. Let him read whatever he likes. You must not force him to read things of your interest. Remember, developing early reading habit is what matters and not the content your kid is consuming. Just see to it that it is age appropriate.

• Create a reading environment – Studies reveal that a kid belonging to a reading culture family tends to adopt early reading habits as compared to a kid from non-reading culture. Make him accessible to books in every room of the house. Surround him with books. In this way, he will grab different books at any time and read them.

• Set yourself as a role model – Now this is something that matters the most when it comes to your child’s reading habits. Toddlers tend to imitate their elders. If they see their parents engrossed in devices, they will tend to do so. Present yourself as a reader to them and they will shortly start following your footsteps.

• Make conversations about his latest reads – Make the reading process more engaging. Ask your kid questions from his latest read. Let him express his opinion on what will happen next. You may also ask him to write a summary of the story he just read. In this way, he can learn vocabulary and also enhance his writing skills.

• Let him re-read – Your baby is reading the same thing over and over? That’s a good sign as it shows his interest towards reading. Your child learns more about a story each time he reads it again. It also improves his fluency and comprehension skills.

• Take them to bookstores – Take your kid to a nearby bookstore or local library. Let him pick books of his choice. This has two-sided advantage. Firstly, your child realizes that you respect his choices. Secondly, he will garner immense curiosity to read the book as he chose it himself.

• Connect stories with real life – Make your junior read things that relate to daily life. Gift him a book on friendship stories, inspirational stories or fables. This will make his read more engaging and interesting.   

Congratulations, you’ve raised a reader!

An understanding of Histrionics Personality Disorder

As the name suggests, Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) is a condition in which a person behaves melodramatically or inappropriately to seek attention from others. Their self-esteem depends on approval from others and not on their self-worth. They have an enormous desire to get noticed by others.

HPD belongs to a group of conditions called “Cluster B” or “Dramatic Personality Disorders”.

It is commonly found in females than in males and can be noticed from adolescence.

Symptoms:

• Act dramatically towards every situation. They exaggerate their expressions but they lack sincerity.
• Feel restless unless they are not getting others’ attention.
• Tremendous emotionality.
• Rapid shifts in mood or temperament.
• The tendency to commit suicide due to inattention.
• Naive and get influenced by others easily.
• Extremely cautious about their appearance.
• Their conversations are allusive and impressionistic, but lack detail.
• Believe relationships are intimate than they are in reality.

Causes:

The causes for such behavior are still unknown. However, this condition can be attributed to:

• A person with a family history of histrionic personality is more susceptible to this condition.
• This disorder also tends to occur due to learning such behaviors from mother or any other family member in the past.
• Lack of punishments or criticisms can generate this condition in a child when he/she grows up.
• Appreciation or rewards only on certain approved behavior or completion of some approved tasks.
• Self-centeredness.

Treatment:

• The most opted method is psychotherapy. The psychotherapist uses verbal and psychological techniques to converse with the patient. The aim is to improve the patient’s general coping skills.
• Another approach is psychodynamic psychotherapy. The psychotherapist gains a deeper understanding of the patient’s emotions and mental processes.
• Comprehensive techniques such as yoga and biofeedback may also help people with personality disorders control their inner feelings.
• Medications are not used for HPD patients unless they exhibit other symptoms like anxiety and depression. In such situations, they are prescribed drugs like antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics.

Diagnosis:

Differential diagnosis is the most preferred method for diagnosing HPD. Mental health professionals use this technique to rule out other disorders or medical conditions that may cause the symptoms.

Prevention:

Currently, there is no known way to prevent histrionic personality disorders, but treatment might be able to alleviate many of the related problems.

HPD Vs BPD:

There is a fine line of difference between histrionic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder. Though HPD and BPD are similar in fact that both have attention-seeking nature, manipulative behavior, and rapidly shifting emotions but BPD is self-harming in nature and has feelings of deep voidness and unstable self image (identity disturbance).