By Yashi Jain
All of us are aware that World Mental Health Day was on the 10th of October. Why is there an article on it today, you wonder? Well, because we need to talk. We need to talk about mental health every single day of the year until we have reached a place where every human is mentally fit and happy. It is important and crucial to have meaningful conversations about this critical matter often, especially when a large fraction of our society still considers it to be a taboo.
Incorporating the online into offline
It comes naturally to usscrolling through our social media platforms, reading a few articles on mental well-being, and sharing a few of them among our peers. While these are great initiators of the talk about mental health, we also need to ensure that we do not allow the conversation to die. We need to, at every instance, try to have meaningful discussions about this issue until everyone acknowledges the problem that exists. Since there is little to almost no understanding of it in our country, the discourse must be generated often. People are very vocal about their support towards mentally ill people online. However, at the same time, they utter things like Try not to be so depressed in not-so-hushed tones to the ones who are suffering. We need to understand that this kind of support or conversation does not help.
To actually make a difference, we must empathise and not sympathise. Only when we start internalising what we share and read online will there be a significant change in the general mindset. There is a pressing need to get offline. If every person starts talking about mental health with even a few of his/her acquaintances, we will be able to start conversations that will actually matter. There are many who do not believe in the concept of depression or mental illness and are even ashamed of it. If we can talk and share our ideas with them, and change their minds about the issue, it is a thousandfold more helpful than a social media post.
Grave statistics
In India, an average of 300 people committed suicide daily in the year 2016, nearly five million Indians suffer from some kind of mental disorder and more than half of it goes undiagnosed. We are a generation that is not working towards higher salaries but higher stress levels. From employees to students36 percent of Indians are likely to suffer from some form of depression in their lifetime. Simply having intelligible discussions can solve this serious problem. As a society, we must accept the deaths of innocents for no fault of their own but because of our lack of knowledge and understanding.
How can you help?
Along with spreading awareness about the issue, we can also help those suffering from mental illness by simply creating an environment where they feel free to talk. Loved ones must ensure that they are approachable and must build confidence in the sufferer so that they are able to confide in them. It is important to reserve judgment and encourage the person to talk while you are patient enough to listen. Along with that, it is vital that we address unusual behaviour and show concern. If we could just ask a person, Are you doing good?, it could lead to wonders. Many mental disorders go undiagnosed because the sufferer is simply unaware that the symptoms arent normal. It is the responsibility of friends and family to speak up when they see a problem because thats often the only way a person will realise the need for help.
Featured Image Courtesy: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash