Ignorance Of The Educated

Isn't it lovely, all alone?

Heart made of glass, my mind of stone

 And isn't it really lovely how fragile our hearts and brain are to us. We often look after it and try to prevent it from disorders like CDC, arrhythmia, Alzheimer's disease, dementia etc. But while caring all about the physical aspect, we lack in dealing with the mental aspect, preeminent problems like stress, anxiety and depression.

The link between mental health and physical health is often misunderstood. They’re often thought of as separate entities, but the two go hand in hand. In fact, the World Health Organization defines Health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. But here we are more concerned with our physical health rather than being mentally healthy.

Mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.Mental illness is more than just being depressed. It covers a wide range of problems, spanning from ones that affect mood to those that affect thinking or behavior. Neglecting your mental health can sometimes lead to more serious health complications. It impacts how we feel, think and behave each day. Our mental health affects our decisions that is why to take decision in the right mindset is vital.

By analysing a statistics data, mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population, 46% of teenagers and 13% of children each year.

However, only half of those affected from depression receive treatment, often because of the stigma attached to mental health. Untreated, mental illness can contribute to higher medical expenses, poorer performance at school and work, fewer employment opportunities and increased risk of suicide.

Another study reveals that around 8lakh people commit suicide every year and among them nearly 1.5 lakh people are Indians. 

Why is it so ??

Obviously a person goes to such a depressed state where he even can't recognize that any problem is not bigger than the cost of his life. After all, how often do we get a second chance. And life is itself a blessing. Sometimes we have thoughts that even we don't understand. Thoughts that aren't even true, that aren't really how we feel, but they're running through our heads anyway. Sometimes things don't work as per our prediction and that's the thing which can hurt a person to that extent which makes all the path blur and opens up to options like killing oneself.

Since the lockdown or around recent weeks we have been bombarded with sensationalized news articles, emails and social media posts. Stories about food shortages, job losses, an overwhelmed health service and social disorder are all around us.  On top of all that, we’re being instructed to stay at home meaning our normal routine is disrupted and social connections feel fractured.

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause among young adults worldwide. And its initial cause is nothing but a depressed state.

Just as junk food exists in junk media and it's as addictive as junk food and definitely good for taste not for health and never fails in doing brain wash. And surely contributes to affecting one's mind. It really is important then that we take positive steps to look after our mental health on these strange days. Actually listening to people with mental illness and understanding their experiences is the most important step in dissolving the silence and stigma, we need to be open on a more general, everyday basis.

We need a culture that is attuned to the nuances of mental illness and accepting of the silences as well as the disclosures. We need a world where mental health is an acceptable topic regardless of time and place, beyond the field days and short-lived social media campaigns. Showing individuals respect and acceptance removes a significant barrier to successfully coping with their illness. Having people see you as an individual and not as your illness can make the biggest difference for someone who is struggling with their mental health. Advocating within our circles of influence helps ensure these individuals have the same rights and opportunities as other members of your community.

Like physical illnesses, mental illnesses can be treated and cured too. However, the movement towards healing takes time, and everyone should be more understanding to give the patient time to recuperate from his or her mental illness. All it takes is to give enough patience and more hugs or any physical contact to reassure him or her that he or she is not battling the dark side alone.

Many organizations, companies, and industries in society are now uniting towards mental health awareness. Fashion companies are making custom T-shirts with encouraging words or phrases. Office industries are setting up mental health corners for their employees who could possibly experience mental health problems. Non-government organizations are reaching out to families who may have a troubled set-up and has been affecting the mental health of their children. All of these are positive attributes that could help spread mental health awareness and end the stigma that anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns are just mere drama or nothing of consequences. Often we cannot talk about it when the world wants us to whether that be our families, therapists or the media. And when we are ready to speak up, we can’t find the ears. And the irony is, In our country you have to look both way to cross a one way road.

The best ways to overcome, aside from seeking professional help is to do the things you love without minding what others will say. Extend your boundaries and get out of your comfort zone. Leaving from someone else’s box and creating your own is good and actually healthy in maintaining your mental health. Don't let anybody rush you.

Every song ends, but is that any reason not to enjoy the music, and so is our life! To enjoy it, isn't our choice rather our responsibility.

Most of our problem is that we spent your whole life thinking there were rules. There aren't. We used to be gorillas. All we had was what we could take and defend.

And always remember, all our actions have consequences. You can't get away from yourself. You can't decide not to see yourself anymore. You can't decide to turn off the noise in your head. If there is a problem there exists a solution. It is important to keep our minds, as well as everyone else’s mental wellness, an important aspect of our health in order to maintain a healthy and balanced life.

I came across a quote which sums up what to do when we are struggling with mental wellness  " Some of the most comforting words in the universe are ‘ me too.’ That moment when you find out that your struggle is also someone else’s struggle, that you’re not alone, and that others have been down the same road. "