Living, Loving and Feeling every pulsating moment of Dhadkan 2015!!!

On 31^st December, Shafa welcomed New Year 2015 with open arms under the starlit skies of Kotdwar. The event was aptly called “Dhadkan”(heartbeat) as each moment, every act and every person involved was alive with the feeling of being in love with oneself and others. Our residents were primed for the night, carefully planning and rehearsing every step for the past fortnight. As the theme for the event showcased how each resident was pumped up with adrenaline that kept everyone’s dhadkan rising. Meticulous craftsmanship was evident in the way each department, be it the welcome committee, the catering unit or the décor group had precisely timed and fine tuned everything from the word go.

As the guests started pouring in, our boys got busy. Every guest was welcomed in the traditional Indian mehman-nawajish way, by a tilak and flowers. The chief guests lighted the deepshikha and marked the start of the ceremony. They were shown an in house movie showcasing the achievements and memories of the year gone by. Everyone was then invited to a fabulous dinner prepared entirely by the residents. The guests and the family members were then seated for the unraveling of the extravagant event. Our CEO, Mr. Ranjan Dhar welcomed everyone with his spell binding speech. The masters of ceremony, Ashu and Tushar proved that they were in command of the stage as their anchoring skills were superb.This was followed by a group dance by the garwali boys led by Saransh. Our golden voice Gaurav serenaded all with his smooth rendition of a love song. He was accompanied by Subin on acoustic guitar and veteran rocker Vikrant on electric guitar. Then the stage was set on fire by the beat boys. A bevy of grooving dancers took the stage by storm. Their hypnotic dance moves caught everyone’s eyes, especially the solo stunts performed at the end. A short skit by our resident mimicry artist Saurabh, had the guest laughing and in splits. Then the choir group led took the centre stage and soon had the families of the residents swaying to their harmony.

The sitcom play, directed by theatre director Mr. Deepansh was too hilarious for everyone present. The theatre antics of resident Thespians, Piyush, Mohit and Ankit took everyone with surprise. Their stage presence was simply mind-blowing. Our next package was a surprise!! Jagmeet, one of our youngest residents performed a soul stirring solo Punjabi song. His vocal skills were truly laced with emotions and inflections, and the song was astounding and beautiful. Up next was a fashion show with a difference. The prêt a porter line was ingenious, as it was completely fashioned out of recycled material. This show stopper gave way to another round of explosive energy on the stage. The motley crew of choreographer Bob and Ben ignited the sparks on the floor. Their kinetic movements, smooth criminal and insane dance moves were jaw dropping!!!! Encore, encore, encore was all we can hear at the end. As the countdown for the New Year began, Tushar and Ashu held everyone captive by their anecdotes. At the stroke of midnight, Shafa Home burst out with with joy as everyone got on the dance floor. No one was left alone, we all got together in the moment of clarity and our pulse united to the beating of the heart!!!  Dhadkan 2015 welcomed the New Year with every one lighting a candle and taking a resolve to put an end to the negativity and spurs of doubt. We all must come together as one, united by soul, united by heart, united by a single mission, to give our best to weaken the desperados, to greet the humble and the mighty with equality, the see the moment when the children can be children and to carry each small candle to light the dark side of every human mind. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!!

To view pics, please click on the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.390986081064970.1073742089.150155235148057&type=1

 

SEX ADDICTION PROVEN TO BE REAL

While sex addiction has yet to be officially classified as a “real” addiction, new brain research shows that sex can indeed affect the brain in the same way as drug and alcohol - leading to addiction.

When you think of too much of a good thing, sex is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, recent research conducted at the University of Cambridge is shedding light on how sexual addictions may affect the brain in ways analogous to drugs.

“Addiction”. The word usually brings to mind images of alcohol and drugs. It is true that addictive substances have been the most commonly studied addictions, as well as being the most visible forms of addiction. In recent years, however, that has been changing. With the advent of new ways of studying the brain, and new ways of understanding addiction, other behaviours are becoming understood as addictions.

One of the most recent is sex addiction. While not yet included in the authoritative text of mental health, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychological Association, there is now scientific evidence that supports the notion that sexual behaviours can be addictions.

The research, conducted at the prestigious University of Cambridge, focused on the way the brain is affected by viewing pornographic images. In the study, two groups of men viewed the images. One group comprised of men with sexually compulsive behaviour, while the other group comprised of men with normal sexual behaviour. The study used a functional magnetic resonance imaging device (fMRI), to track changes in brain activity which occurred while the men viewed the pornographic images.

The researchers discovered that the part of the brain associated with rewards lit up in the brains of men with sexually compulsive behavior. These “reward centers” of the brain, which include the amygdala, dorsal anterior cingulate, and ventral striatum, showed activity similar to the brains of drug addicts consuming drugs.

The lead researcher on the study, Dr.  Valeria Voon, says that it is certain that persons with sexual compulsion suffer as a result of their condition. The new research provides evidence on the level of the brain similar to what psychologists have noted for some time: that those with an abnormally strong sexual compulsion experience significant problems in their behavioral, emotional, and social functioning. In addition to adaptive problems, people with sexual compulsions often experience shame, guilt, and a desire to maintain secrecy about their condition. This adds to the suffering that they experience.

Dr. Voon is happy that the study supports the classification of sexual compulsions as pathological. She hopes that it in the future it will provide grounds for further research into the understanding of the disorder.

We at Shafa Home, having helped many a client suffering from this disorder, commend this study and Dr Voon's assessment of the condition. Sex addiction is a disease, no less serious for the sufferer than suffering from a substance addiction – and the sooner it is clinically recognized the more people will be encouraged to seek treatment.

Shafa Home, is a residential treatment center providing world-class, holistic care for addiction. If you are concerned about addiction, please contact one of our staff today.

(These articles are the sole property of “The Cabin Chiang Mai”, they are its original authors.)