In today’s digital era, advertisers invest billions of dollars to promote their products and sway consumer purchase decisions. However, determining the true impact of an ad campaign or product on consumers can be challenging. Advertising plays a subtle yet significant role in influencing consumer behavior. This article explores the various ways in which advertising affects consumers, shedding light on its power and potential consequences.
The Evolution of Advertising Advertising has been a part of human civilization for thousands of years, transcending from cave paintings to modern-day internet ads. Despite technological advancements, advertising remains an influential force in consumer behavior. Its impact cannot be underestimated. Let’s delve into the profound effects of advertising on consumers.
Effects of Advertising on Consumer Behavior
Shaping Attitudes and Beliefs Through persuasive messages and captivating imagery, advertising can mold consumers’ attitudes and beliefs about products and services. Advertisers skillfully create positive associations between their offerings and desirable outcomes, such as happiness, success, or attractiveness. Consequently, consumers are inclined to believe that purchasing these products will bring them closer to achieving those desired outcomes.
Increasing Product Awareness Advertising serves as a platform to raise awareness about products and services. By showcasing their unique features and benefits, advertisers can introduce unfamiliar offerings to consumers who might not have discovered them otherwise. This aspect is especially advantageous for new or niche products that have yet to gain a substantial following.
Fostering Brand Loyalty Consistent promotion of products through advertising helps companies establish a strong brand identity and cultivate a loyal customer base. By maintaining a visible presence in the market, businesses can encourage repeat purchases and generate positive word-of-mouth recommendations, thus driving further sales.
The Flip Side of Advertising While advertising yields numerous advantages, it also comes with certain drawbacks. It is crucial to acknowledge the potential negative effects of advertising on consumers.
Creating Unrealistic Expectations Advertisements often portray an idealized or exaggerated version of reality, setting unrealistic expectations among consumers. Consequently, individuals may anticipate similar outcomes from the products they purchase. When these expectations are not met, consumers may experience disillusionment or dissatisfaction.
Manipulation and Misleading Claims Some advertising techniques employ emotional appeals or misleading claims to sway consumer decisions. This manipulation can be particularly problematic in the context of health and wellness products, where false or deceptive assertions can endanger consumers’ well-being.
Conclusion In conclusion, the influence of advertising on consumer behavior is intricate and multifaceted. Advertising can generate positive effects such as increased awareness and brand loyalty. Simultaneously, it can also yield negative consequences, including unrealistic expectations and manipulative tactics. As consumers, it is essential to approach advertising critically, questioning its messages rather than accepting them at face value. By understanding the power and potential pitfalls of advertising, individuals can make informed decisions and navigate the consumer landscape with greater confidence.
We all know the value of mental health. We can’t live without it, and yet many are only now starting to prioritize it. It is important to look at how to support mental health in workplace, review some recent studies and statistics, and we will explore ways that you can help instill better mental health in workplaces and workplaces in general. Mental health is important to every person in the workplace. It has a direct effect on your productivity and ability to perform tasks efficiently on an hourly basis. There are many strategies you can implement to help improve mental health within your organization, whether it be through suggestion boxes, employee assistance groups (EAGs), or in-office workshops addressing mental health issues. When employees feel less pressure and strain caused by mental illness, they tend to work more efficiently and productively.
People with mental health problems in the workplace can sometimes find it hard to feel comfortable talking about their problems, especially when they’re connected to their job and career. There are several ways to help them feel more comfortable — so they can do their best at work, to be rewarded for their productivity and self-confidence, and of course stay loyal.
Mental illness is, unfortunately, a very common thing among the general population. According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Major depressive disorder affects nearly 6 percent of adults in the U.S. alone and approximately 1 in 4 people will experience either depression or anxiety at some point in their lifetimes. Since mental health is crucial to our everyday lives, it is important that we pay attention to this topic as a society. In particular, it’s vital that we create awareness about workplace mental health so employers can create an environment where people can thrive and feel safe at work – an environment that’s free from the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Mental health is a topic I’m very interested in and can be a good starting point for a conversation about mental health issues in the workplace. Both managers and employees are looking for ways to support their mental health – by helping employees deal with stress better and also by identifying potential or existing problems to get them the needed help.
A lot of the time, we isolate the people we care about. Ignore the signs of mental health issues and blame them all on video games, or having too much free time, or simply not exercising enough. We tell ourselves that they’re fine, or they’ll snap out of it eventually. It’s all bullshit — “they’re fine” doesn’t work when you know something is wrong and don’t value their opinion enough to listen to them. I’m going to be blunt, if you have someone in your life who is suffering from depression, here’s what you do: Quit giving them shit about it. Stop asking them “why are you like this” and realizing that their problems are caused by videogames and forking over loads of money for therapy etc. This will make them feel like shit with self-doubt that won’t go away unless addressed properly and honestly by an actual professional.
A lot of mental health issues are caused by the stigma that comes with being a “young person” and is completely ignored by parents. This stigma is fueled by people who don’t understand the fact that depression and anxiety can come from any age, especially when you have a family history of mental illness (e.g. your great grandma was bipolar or your mom has been suffering from depression).
Aging is a fact of life and it is important for us to focus on healthy aging, including behavioral health issues not only during May, which is both Older Americans Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, but throughout the year.
Clarity — giving and receiving accurate communication.
Supportiveness — a commitment to stand with and behind team members.
Confidence building — a personal commitment to build and sustain the self-image of each team member.
Mutuality — a partnership orientation where everyone wins or no one wins.
Perspective — a total focus on the entire business enterprise.
Risk — the encouragement of innovation and effort that reduces punishment for mistakes and fosters learning by doing.
Patience — going beyond the short-term business focus to a view of time and performance that balances long-term gain and business imperatives.
Involvement — a genuine interest in learning about individuals in order to know what incentives, concerns and actions will inspire them.
Confidentiality — an ability to protect the information of all team interactions and cause a sense of trust and comfort with the individuals.
Respect — a giving and receiving of high regard to and from the staff as individuals and members of the team. Study these values, consider the degree to which you possess them, and make plans to develop them within you.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about Coaching, Mentoring or managing Email uheallife@gmail.com
Presently, five regional coordination centres have been set up, along with 51 state or union territory-level cells.
The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India has formally launched this week its national tele-mental health programme.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Called Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS), it will provide free, round-the-clock teleconsultation service for mental health concerns. It runs a network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) at its core and the International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore providing technology support.
The Indian Institute of Technology-Bengaluru and the National Health Systems Resource Centre are also providing technical support for the programme.
It will be organised in a two-tier system: Tier 1 comprises state-level cells with trained counsellors and mental health specialists and Tier 2 comprises the e-Sanjeevani, India’s national telemedicine service, which provides audio-visual consultation, and specialists from the District Mental Health Programme and partner medical colleges who are providing in-person consultations.
In a press statement, the union government said it aims to open at least one Tele-MANAS cell in each state or union territory across the country. Presently, five regional coordination centres have been set up, along with 51 state or union territory-level Tele-MANAS cells.
Additionally, about 900 counsellors have been trained by NIMHANS for the programme.
This initial rollout, the government said, will provide basic support and counselling through a centralized Interactive Voice Response system that is being customised for use across states and union territories.
Tele-MANAS is planned to be linked with other services such as e-Sanjeevani and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, as well as with mental health professionals and emergency psychiatric facilities.
“Eventually, this will include the entire spectrum of mental wellness and illness, and integrate all systems that provide mental health care,” the government added.
WHY IT MATTERS
In launching Tele-MANAS, the Indian government recognises the ongoing mental health crisis in the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, around 40% of Indians have been experiencing some form of mental health problems, according to a survey report by the Indian Psychiatry Society.
The government also acknowledges the “urgent need” to establish a digital mental health network to address population health challenges brought about by the pandemic.
THE LARGER CONTEXT
The establishment of a national tele-mental health programme was first announced early this year in the release of the Union Budget 22-23.
In an earlier statement, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the programme aims to transform access to mental healthcare by providing counselling and care using standard, evidence-based, culturally appropriate tools; enhancing access to quality, standardised, and free mental health services; and helping to connect with various mental health care services. source: healthcareitnews
You will attend a weekend retreat. There is no phone, internet, or technology. It is possible to notice a subtle anxiety that you didn’t even realize you had by meditating. Our knowledge of meditation is greatly enhanced by meditation retreats.
Let me tell you We did meditations during the day, and I was able to really lift some of that anxiety I felt. After the retreat, I felt profoundly calm and reviatalised. I was reluctant to use my Phone and have since made changes so that my phone isn’t as big a part of my life, as It became obvious that it was a big contributor to my anxiety. I meditate daily now and have more motivation to do it now since I experienced and created that blissful space during the retreat.
Breakups are not painful. The self-loathing after a failed relationship is painful.
Failure in a career/studies are not painful. The self-loathing after those failures are painful.
Getting rejected is not painful. That self-loathing voice that tells yourself “You’re a failure” after being rejected is painful.
Once you tell yourself “It’s okay to fail.”, all the pain just magically disappears.
My whole life I’ve been trying so hard to fix “problems” to ease the pain, using self-loathing as a whip to somehow propel me towards finding a solution to everything “wrong” with me. But ultimately, acceptance is the only true freedom from pain. And only with the freedom, comes the energy to get out of bed and actually get stuff done. So accept yourself, in whatever “broken” form you are, and be free from misery.
The quality of your thoughts determines the quality of your life, having a healthy mindset not only changes you but changes your perspective of things around you, circumstances and life in general. also it helps you cope easily with whatever life sends your way.
Tips to maintain a healthy positive mindset:
1-practice self reflection by witnessing your own behaviors and being conscious about your inner thoughts and feelings. this self observation includes being objectively “neutrally” honest about your intentions and who you really are and even diving deep to know your darkest self.
2-Embrace yourself when you accept yourself for who you really are, your identity and uniqueness , you begin to embrace your toxic traits and insecurities and feel it as part of your being, so in the end you will be able to smoothely work on getting rid of it.
3-Control your thoughts you either control your thoughts or you let your thoughts control you, your thoughts are mostly linked to your deepest beliefs and perspectives so in order to control it you need to understand and accept it.also by bringing awareness to a thought, you release some of its power.moreover, through the process you learn to separate yourself from your thoughts which will make you gain power over it.
4- Improve your knowledge enrish your mind daily by continuously learning,discovering and investing your time and energy on yourself, it will not only help you gain knowledge but expand your mind in order to reach your greatest potential.at the same time you’ll learn new skills everyday which may eventually lead to the best version of yourself coming to life.
5-practice gratitude appreciate the little things and small details about life, this makes a huge shift in your mindset and energy.when you practice gratitude you are teaching yourself to focus on the filled part of the cup in most areas of your life. it also strengthen your inner power and raise your vibration so you’ll attract more opportunities into your life.
6-Be open to change no matter how much growth you accomplish in life, never stop striving for more .take whatever life offers you because you’ll never know what god has in store for you,maybe that meaningless opportunity will direct you right towards your destined path. sometimes the most important change is the one you thought you never needed.this will boost your confidence and flex your way of thinking.
7-Believe in universe plans focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t . this will save you time and energy wasted on worrying and overthinking things out of your control. just surrender and let things fall into place with time. by doing this you’re both protecting your peace and mind from unnecessary worries.
Conclusion having a healthy mindset will set you free from negative thoughts and feelings and make it much easier for you to achieve your goals,make healthy connections,go beyond limitations and have a clear vision about who you are and who you want to be . Hope that was helpful,
The pursuit of luxury comes from the belief that “If I will have this and this, I will be happy”.
When the luxury finally comes, the previous belief is most likely to not become fulfilled, and thus the material chase begins, a chase meant to further reinforce ourselves from the eventual subconscious understanding that “this and this doesn’t really make me happy after all, and thus I have wasted a lot of time from my life, getting things that didn’t really made me any happier”.
Pursuing simplicity is based on the belief that “I don’t need this and that to be happy; I can be happy without them”. Hence, the pursuit of simplicity is not necessarily for the sake of simplicity itself, but rather for the sake of mental independence or emotional independence from external criteria to determine our feelings, or from the belief that external criteria always determine our feelings.
Therefore, a life of simplicity by itself, without the matching mindset to that lifestyle, won’t necessarily make you happier than having a luxurious lifestyle. To find happiness within simplicity you must not only live in simplicity, but to be aware that material gain won’t necessarily grant you a long-term happiness. Two people can live the same simple lifestyle, but feel different feelings, dependent on their mindsets and on how do they choose to relate to their current lifestyle.
A luxurious lifestyle, however, will most likely give you a short-term happiness, as you’ll live from one pleasure to the next, but never be fully satisfied, as there is no limit to the potential of material gain, and the more gain you’ll have, the more things you’ll have to worry about, making you live a life of constant pursuit, never stopping to fully enjoy the fruits of your wealth, without reaching full satisfaction.
When you’re calm, you can think your way through a problem instead of just worrying about it. Think about the worst thing that can happen, how likely that is and what you could do if it happens. In a stressful situation, think about the different ways you can respond and decide which one is the most intelligent.
Don’t make mountains out of molehills.
When you use the thinking brain, you get control of the emotional brain, and you feel better.
Also, replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Count your blessings and remind yourself of your successes.
The treatments for anxiety range from simple stress reduction methods to therapy and medication.
Don’t overlook stress management – it can help even with very bad anxiety.
Video – a lot of helpful information, including the 3-part program of Brown and Gerbarg –
Thought patterns are like habits, and like habits, they are tough to break, but it is possible to change them. It might be easier to add good thought patterns and that way increase the amount of time you think healthily/positively, to balance out the bad. Anxiety and bad thoughts are normal functions and can’t be completely stopped, but it can be reduced to a manageable and healthy level.
Anxiety – an Overview and Ways to Treat It
Introduction
Do you often feel anxious, or do you know someone else who is? Read on to find about more about what it is it, and learn a number strategies to help prevent it, or reduce the severity of the symptoms if you have it.
Anxiety is a common mental health problem, which is prevalent throughout the world and can be really serious in some cases. Studies show that more than 1 in 10 people will develop a disabling anxiety disorder at some stage in their life.
Anxiety is usually assessed on a degree of severity, ranging from mild, to moderate, to severe.
There are a number of different anxiety disorders, which include: generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and selective mutism.
Symptoms
The symptoms associated with anxiety are quite varied, and can range from quite mild or to quite severe.
1) Behavioural – social withdrawal, sleeping problems, loss of appetite, increased motor tension.
2) Emotional – feelings of dread, trouble concentrating, feeling tense or jumpy, anticipating the worst, irritability, restlessness, blank mind, nightmares, obsessions about sensations, sense of ‘deja vu’, feeling trapped in your mind.
3) Cognitive – thoughts about suspected dangers, such as fear of dying, believing that chest pains are heart attack, believing shooting pains in your head are a tumor or aneurysm, feeling an intense fear when you think of dying, or you may think of it more often than normal, or can’t get it out of your mind.
4) Physiological – headaches, vertigo, digestive problems, nausea, shortness of breath, palpitations, and fatigue.
Cause
The risk factors associated with anxiety include:
1) Neuroanatomical – Neural circuitry involving the amygdala (which regulates emotions like anxiety and fear, stimulating the HPA Axis and sympathetic nervous system) and hippocampus (which is implicated in emotional memory along with the amygdala) is thought to underlie anxiety. People who have anxiety tend to show high activity in response to emotional stimuli in the amygdala.
2) Genetics – Genetics and family history may put an individual at increased risk of an anxiety disorder, but generally external stimuli will trigger its onset or exacerbation.
3) Medical conditions – Many medical conditions can cause anxiety. This includes conditions that affect the ability to breathe, like COPD and asthma, and the difficulty in breathing that often occurs near death. Conditions that cause abdominal pain or chest pain can cause anxiety and may in some cases be a somatization of anxiety.
4) Substance-induced – Several drugs can cause or worsen anxiety, whether in intoxication, withdrawal or from chronic use. These include alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, sedatives (including prescription benzodiazepines), opioids (including prescription pain killers and illicit drugs like heroin), stimulants (such as caffeine, cocaine and amphetamines), hallucinogens, and inhalants.
5) Psychological – Poor coping skills (e.g., rigidity/inflexible problem solving, denial, avoidance, impulsivity, extreme self-expectation, negative thoughts, affective instability, and inability to focus on problems) are associated with anxiety. Anxiety is also linked and perpetuated by the person’s own pessimistic outcome expectancy and how they cope with feedback negativity. Temperament (e.g., neuroticism) and attitudes (e.g. pessimism) have been found to be risk factors for anxiety.
6) Social – Social risk factors for anxiety include a history of trauma (e.g., physical, sexual or emotional abuse or assault), early life experiences and parenting factors (e.g., rejection, lack of warmth, high hostility, harsh discipline, high parental negative affect, anxious childrearing, modelling of dysfunctional and drug-abusing behaviour, discouragement of emotions, poor socialization, poor attachment, and child abuse and neglect), cultural factors (e.g., stoic families/cultures, persecuted minorities including the disabled), and socioeconomics (e.g., uneducated, unemployed, impoverished although developed countries have higher rates of anxiety disorders than developing countries).
Tip 1: Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a psychological process, which involves bringing one’s attention to what you are experiencing in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation.
To perform mindfulness you must adopt a particular orientation toward one’s experiences in the present moment, which is characterized by a mixture of acceptance, curiosity, and openness.
Mindfulness practice has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, and can is also used to treat drug addiction.
1) Awareness – Notice the thoughts which arise in your mind and the sensations that feel in your body. Do they feel hot or cold? Notice your heartbeat. Be aware of your breathing. Allow yourself to feel these sensations without resistance
2) Acceptance – Rather than accept or reject your thoughts, try to just observe them without judgment and allow them to flow in and out of your mind.
3) Present Moment – We often worry about the future or dwell on the past, but you should learn to focus on the present moment and bring your attention back to what is happening in the now.
Tip 2: Breathing
Square breathing is a simple technique which involves taking slow, deep breaths. It is good for stress reduction and can increase performance and concentration.
To start, visualize a square, then follow the instructions going clockwise:
1) Breathe in for 4 seconds picturing one side of the square.
2) Hold your breath for 4 seconds visualizing the second side of the square.
3) Breathe out over 4 seconds visualizing the third side of the square.
4) Hold your breath for 4 seconds visualizing the fourth side of the square.
This exercise should be completed as many times as required for the breathing to become calm and regular.
Tip 3: Other Ideas
1) Keep a journal – Write down your current thoughts, and brainstorm possible solutions to your problems.
2) Reading – Read one of your favourite books, or shop around for a new self-help book.
3) Write a poem – Turn your current worries and problems into a poem to give meaning to them.
4) Colouring – Get some coloured pencils, or crayons, and draw whatever comes to mind. Try some random patterns, or if you are feeling more adventurous create a stunning piece of art.
5) Music – Listen to your favorite band, or play your instrument if you have one.
6) Dance – Move your body to your favorite song, to help keep fit and distract yourself at the same time.
7) Walk – Take a walk outside and, and pay attention to your surroundings. Count houses, cars or trees as you pass them.
8) Relaxation – Take a warm, relaxing bubble bath or a warm shower, whichever you prefer.
9) List – Write a list of positive things in your life, such as good memories and your best attributes, and read them whenever you feel bad.
10) Triggers – Make a list of your triggers, and give it to your therapist if you have one.
Are you feeling “I can’t do it or why my life so difficult”? If yes, then let me correct you here that you are not the only person who is suffering from stress or miserable. We’ve all been in a tough spot, not just once but multiple times. However, these are the precious moments that define our life. Our attitude in those moments has the potential of either making us or breaking us on the path towards success and achievement.
To guide you find your purpose of life and your inner strength I’ve put together a few things that can be helpful in turning on your lamp within yourself.
Determination is the key
The determination that we show towards our goal is the key to decide whether we will be able to achieve it or not. The determination not just helps to drive it through the road of success but also helps in dealing with the struggles, disappointments, and failures.
Always find ways to remind that your determination will decide your future. It will help you have clear vision of your dream.
Failure is Necessary
To live the life you want, you need to be willing to face the struggles and pass through them. If you are someone who easily gives upon when a difficult situation comes, then you probably don’t have a chance of tasting success. Moreover, it is necessary to acknowledge your failure and correct the mistake before it turns your life the other way.
In the days of your struggle, remember, that life will take a few things from you, which will help you grow. Then, once you have got exactly what you want, then it will begin to slowly give back your things.
Challenge your comfort
Adding to the previous point, when you feel that you are facing hurdles and battles, it is when you need to be aware that you are doing something out of your comfort level. The sooner you understand this, the better your life will be.
However, for that, you should be mentally and emotionally prepared. As said earlier, it is important to acknowledge the bad things and then overcome all of them one by one.
Gratitude Will Take You a Long Way
Each one of us experience rough times in our lives, because it’s just the reality of living a life. At those moments instead of getting hard on yourself and screaming that “I can’t do”, think of how happy you were when you achieved your last goal.
Remember that it is always necessary to feel grateful for all the little things you have in your life. It is truly amazing how deep impact these positive and gratitude feelings have in our daily life. They not only give you clarity on your vision but also turn your mood.
If you’re unhappy with where you are, then start feeling grateful for the beautiful things you have. We might not choose the situation, but we can definitely choose the mindset.
Best Things Never Comes Easy
When I often feel that I can’t to it, I try to remind myself that “best things never come easy”. Even if you are halfway through your success, just feel proud for yourself that you have taken a step that most people fear.
However, apart from seeing all the better days of your life, it is important to see the worst also. Lastly, while working for your dreams keep your mind and vision clear.
