How often do you hear people calling each other "psychopath"? Or how often do you witness people labelling themselves as "bipolar" or "depressed"? Quite frequently. Right? These are names of some serious, often life-threatening mental disorders which have been included in common vocabulary. Ayushi Jolly, a PhD scholar opined that "mental health disorders are not adjective to be thrown around."

Real Disorders With Real Affect On Life

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Today, many people who are organized and prioritize santitation and hygeine, label themselves as suffering from OCD. However, in psychology, OCD is a long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviours (compulsions), or both. This condition can significantly impair daily functioning, leading to severe anxiety and distress. Without proper treatment, it can escalate, affecting relationships, work, and overall quality of life.

Depression

"I am so depressed, I act like it's my birthday everyday," these are lyrics from a chart-topping Taylor Swift song. However, the singer-songwriter has never been diagnosed for the same. Similarly, people throw away the term even at the slightest discomfort. But, this mental health disorder is life-thretening, serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. Note, to be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Any person who is high on energy and gets distracted easily could be heard saying "I'm suffering from ADD." In reality, ADD is a type of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that's characterized by problems with concentration and focus. ADHD is a developmental disorder that can affect a person's daily life, including their ability to perform at school or work and their social relationships.

Bipolar Personality Disorder

Broke up with your partner? Chances are you'll end up calling them bipolar. The terms has also been used in various films and songs, sans the knowledge of it's seriousness. Formerly known as manic-depressive illness or manic depression, this condition is a lifelong mood disorder that causes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns and behavior. A person suffering from this disorder witnesses intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns and behavior, for long periods of time.

Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD)

Being "paranoid" has become more like a negative adjective among teens and young adults. However, a person who suffers from this condition is incapable of maintaining succesful relationahips. Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) is a group of personality disorders categorised under "Cluster A". A person with PPD thinks in odd or eccentric ways, and suffers from unrelenting mistrust or suspicion of others, even when there is no reason to be suspicious. This disorder usually begins in early adulthood and appears more common in men than women. People with PPD are always on guard, believing that others are constantly trying to demean, harm, or threaten them. People with this disorder also doubt the commitment, loyalty, or trustworthiness of others. PPD patients also might have difficulty relaxing.

What does it take to become a CEO? Decades of hustle and hard work. J Michael Prince, CEO of US Polo Assn., probably had the same idea. But after years of toiling away, he landed at a startling realization – he could have done it all without pushing himself to the limit. He recently opened up about the importance of work-life balance and setting aside time for yourself at the end of the day.

Work-Life Balance And Burnout

In a conversation with Fortune, Prince said that he now makes a conscious effort to avoid contacting his employees outside office hours unless it’s an emergency.

He said, “One thing I try to respect is—and this never really happened to me throughout my career—unless there’s something major going on, I try to leave people alone in the evenings, so you rarely ever get an email or text from me after the office.”

He spoke about the importance of personal time and allowing oneself to reset after a workday. “I leave the office, and I really try to respect people’s weekends, because I feel like that’s your family time, that’s your personal time, that’s your friendship time, that’s your time to reset, recharge spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally,” he added.

HealthandMe spoke to Dr. Samant Darshi, Consultant- Psychiatrist & Neuromodulation Expert, Director - Psymate Healthcare, Noida, about the importance of maintaining work-life balance to prevent burnout.

Read more: Doctors Day: From Burnout To Work Anxiety, The Mental Health Struggle Doctors Rarely Talk About

The expert says that it is necessary to maintain a balance between work and life since it helps in enhancing health and well-being, reduces stress, increases productivity, and develops meaningful relationships. Maintaining a balance would lead to higher job satisfaction and happiness in life.

Dr Darshi says, “Work-life imbalance increases levels of stress and anxiety and causes emotional exhaustion. Persistent stress can result in depression, insomnia, hypertension, decreased immunity, and cardiovascular diseases. Lack of rest and time for leisure activities causes a loss of concentration and low self-esteem, thus making everyday life more stressful and challenging.”

Tackling Burnout

Prince admitted he didn’t always give importance to work-life balance. Earlier in his career, he regularly worked 90-hour weeks, stayed up through the night, and rarely slowed down. Looking back, he said he could have achieved the same goals without sacrificing so much of his health and time.

Prince said, “I could have eaten differently, I could have been a little more thoughtful about my sleep, about my routine around working out, my travel.”

According to Dr Darshi, work-life imbalance leads to a feeling of burnout. Experiencing constant stress, unrealistic expectations, and lack of time for leisure gradually exhausts physical and emotional resources. Eventually, motivation tanks, productivity drops, fatigue, detachment, frustration, and inability to function increase.

He explains, “Burnout adversely impacts the mental state of an individual by causing symptoms such as emotional fatigue, anxiety, depression, irritability, and hopelessness. It causes demotivation and loss of focus in addition to making individuals feel insecure. If not addressed, it may adversely impact personal relationships, affect work, and cause chronic health conditions.”

While many people blame pollen or changing weather for their allergies, health experts say hidden allergens inside the home may be just as responsible. On the occasion of World Allergy Day on July 8, doctors highlighted that dust mites, mold, pet proteins, and household products are among the often-overlooked triggers that can affect indoor air quality and contribute to persistent allergy symptoms.

They also cautioned that chronic allergies should not be dismissed as a minor inconvenience, as they can affect sleep, respiratory health, and overall quality of life.

What Is A Chronic Allergy?

Dr. Sanjiv Dang, ENT & Allergy Specialist, Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, told HealthandMe that allergy symptoms lasting for weeks, months, or throughout the year may indicate chronic allergies and should not be ignored.

He explained that "allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to substances such as dust mites, pollen, mold, pet dander, or certain foods, releasing histamine". This can lead to symptoms including sneezing, nasal congestion, a runny nose, itchy eyes, and throat irritation.

Hidden Allergens Go Beyond Pollen

Also read: UK Met Office Warns of 'Pollen Bomb': What Hay Fever Patients Need to Know

Prof. (Dr.) Dwaipayan Mukherjee, Consultant ENT Surgeon, Kolkata, told HealthandMe that flower pollen is often blamed for seasonal allergies, but it is usually not the main culprit because its grains are larger and less likely to remain airborne. Instead, he said most seasonal allergies are caused by microscopic airborne pollen from grasses, weeds, and trees.

Dr. Mukherjee, also the Past President of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India (AOI), added that homes can also harbor numerous microscopic allergens that negatively affect indoor air quality. Common triggers include:

• Dust Mites

• Mold

• Pet Proteins

Household Products and Indoor Plants

Cleaning sprays, air fresheners, scented candles, and similar products may emit compounds that irritate sensitive airways and worsen allergy symptoms despite creating the impression of a cleaner environment.

Indoor plants can also become a source of allergens if mold develops in damp potting soil or if certain plants release pollen. Outdoor pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds can also enter homes on clothing, shoes, and hair before settling on indoor surfaces, the experts said.

How Persistent Allergies Affect Health

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Dr. Dang said chronic allergies are more than just a runny nose. Persistent nasal congestion can disrupt sleep, leading to snoring, frequent awakenings, daytime fatigue, poor concentration, reduced productivity, and mood changes.

He added that ongoing allergic inflammation can affect both the upper and lower airways. People with chronic allergies are at a higher risk of developing asthma, while those who already have asthma may experience worsening symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

Chronic allergies can also block normal sinus drainage, increasing the risk of recurrent sinus infections. Facial pressure, headaches, post-nasal drip, persistent congestion, and a reduced sense of smell may all indicate allergy-related sinus problems.

How To Prevent Chronic Allergies

The experts advised relying solely on over-the-counter medications, saying they may provide temporary relief without addressing the underlying cause. They noted that prolonged use of certain nasal decongestant sprays can even worsen congestion over time, and also recommended consulting a healthcare professional if allergy symptoms persist for several weeks or throughout the year.

To help manage chronic allergies, the experts recommended:

• Improving ventilation indoors.

• Controlling indoor humidity.

• Using HEPA air cleaners.

• Cleaning the home regularly.

• Eliminate excess moisture.

• Identifying and reducing exposure to allergy triggers.

• Controlling mold growth indoors.

Learning a second or even a third language may do more than expand your communication skills. According to a new study presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 in Barcelona, learning a new language could also help keep your brain younger as you age.

The findings of the study say that people who speak multiple languages have brains that appear biologically younger than those who speak only one language. The research added to the growing evidence that multilingualism has a beneficial effect on healthy cognitive ageing.

About The Study

To investigate how language affects the ageing brain, researchers analysed brain activity in adults living in Spain's multilingual Basque region.

They used magnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive brain imaging technique that records the brain's electrical activity, along with artificial intelligence (AI) to ascertain each participant's brain age.

Rather than relying on a person's actual age, the AI model assessed how well different regions of the brain communicated with one another, a key marker that normally weakens with age.

Researchers first trained the AI using brain scans from 728 adults with varying language abilities before validating the findings in an independent group of 144 participants.

Read more: Normal Ageing or Alzheimer's? Doctors Explain Six Key Differences to Watch For

The results revealed an association between multilingualism and a younger-looking brain. Compared with people who spoke only one language, bilingual participants had brains that appeared around six years younger. Those who spoke three languages had brains that looked approximately seven years younger, while participants fluent in four languages had brains that appeared up to 13 years younger.

Researcher Lucia Amoruso, deputy scientific director at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastián, Spain, said, “In simple terms, people who spoke more languages tended to have brains that looked younger than expected for their chronological age.”

The researchers also found that language proficiency mattered. People who learned additional languages earlier in life and became more fluent showed even greater differences in brain age.

Is Multilingualism The Key To Keep Your Brain Younger?

Scientists believe speaking multiple languages provides the brain with a constant mental workout. Regularly switching between languages requires attention, memory, problem-solving and cognitive control, all of which strengthen the neural networks involved in thinking and decision-making.

This exercise may help maintain stronger communication between brain regions, increasing the brain's resilience against age-related decline.

While the team considered factors like age, sex, and education, multilingual individuals may also be more likely to engage in other habits that are beneficial for the brain.

Although the findings are encouraging, the researchers say that the study does not prove that learning another language directly slows brain ageing or prevents dementia. Experts say further long-term studies are needed to determine whether multilingualism can reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

Despite the need for more research, scientists say the findings offer another compelling reason to learn a new language. Whether through formal classes, language-learning apps or everyday conversations, developing language skills could provide meaningful mental stimulation throughout life.