Mental Health : It’s awareness

It is said that mental health is the biggest cure to every disease. And I do believe in this, because the things our mind can cure, in the ways it does, nothing or nobody can. It is extremely correct to say that, “It’s all in the mind of a person”. On some days people just need help, on some days they scream for the help they don’t receive. And the other days, they do the things they wouldn’t or shouldn’t, like trying suicide, beating the people or lashing out their frustration on the loved ones, and even frustrated murders. YES, EVEN THAT.

A study by WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION tells us that in India, one of 5 people has have suffered depression at some point in their life. Which is an equivalent to 200 million people. And now I’m worried, that’s a lot of depression in a country like ours, which already lacks a lot in manners to cure or to even identify the issue.

The sad part is that due to lack of information and awareness, only 10 to 12 percent of the people suffering would get the required help. God forbid if ever the resources to help fall short.

THE SIGNS

The signs of how to know a person might be mentally ill, are written below. That does not mean that every person is mental or the person reading this article is having the same traits so they might need to consult a doctor. This is for better understanding.

1. You talk to yourself more than before.

2. You feel sad and depressed for most part of your day.

3. You do not feel responsible to or for anything. Hence, you also become careless.

4. You space out/ zone out/ day dream things anytime, anywhere. You don’t do it consciously and sometimes people have to shake you out of it.

5. You cannot connect with others. You feel like no one will understand.

6. You start cleaning too much or not cleaning at all.

7. You get distracted easily and feel lost sometimes.

8. Your grief eats you everyday.

9. You were born with the brain defect or can inherit it from an ancestor in the family.

10. You easily forget the things you do.

THE SOCIAL LIFE

People are treated like trash once they are diagnosed as someone who needs mental health help.

They are considered not to be give any responsibility, they are not trusted for anything by the society, especially applied on the closest family and friends. (unless they are supportive)

People think that self discipline and will power is the only reason they are not getting cured. But that is NOT the case. Mental illness can happen to anyone and at any point in life. If they need any discipline in life, then it is from the people who are unkind to them to show some humanity.

Mothers, to be mothers or working women, or even a young girl, what ever the age of the female is, if she is known to be a mental patient, the stigma of not trusting her with kids or babysitting is applied directly without a single thought.

A fear is instilled, and it is stigmatized to stay away at a safer distance to protect any drama or injuries.

The people who are depressed or anxious or stressed or any other mental illness, are considered to be extremely violent at probably all times.

People can also say that they would have their mental health deteriorated if they sit near the sick person.

Their existence in the neighborhood is frightening to the people.

The people who want to take care of mentally ill is average but the ones who do not want them in their neighborhood is also worrisome.

A good help is to involve the people in the society and help them in their daily routine.

Besides the laws existing in our country, the choice of a person to suicide or not is till a crime. That means, if you do attempt a crime like that and you get saved by chance, end up in the hospital, you’ll be jailed for it. I find it rather stupid of the lawmakers to make suicide a crime. Yes, human life is precious, but suicide is not a one thought impulsive step. It can be a person’s inability to handle the situations around themselves. They don’t realize it is more of what the person feels and is unable to help itself and ask for help. They see it as a crime to end ones’ life. I wish they understood the importance of helping the person cure the main reason behind their huge step of a suicide attempt, provide them professional clinical help by psychiatrists and psychologists than just blaming them and shoving them in the prison. They might get help inside the prison but not every case revolves around prison as a help to change/reform such self harming behavior. They might need their family and/or friends or well wishers or a mental hospital or a changed environment, but not punishment in the first place. All they want is to be understood and not judged by the people for their steps. After all its their life and they deserve to choose what they wish.

There should be restraints on bullying, targeting someone, blackmailing, inappropriate comments on the character, judgement, hate crime and such bad behaviors that may make the person feel guilty of existing or left out.

There should be more of love, kindness, generousness, moral values, respect, support in the people.

Change is happening, why not be more considerate towards who need more care and little more of emotional support than being hateful to them, judge them or consider them any less. Who knows, if they get better than their current conditions, they might do such much better than many of us. (And we will know how hard they worked for it, no hate, no jealousy and no belittle-ling anyone)

Help make the world a better place, kind-er, nicer and harmonious, more understanding and open minded. It will feel lesser burden to live then. In the end, it’s that person’s fight, we can only help, but they have to walk their own path. Help them find helplines, someone like them suffering the same, good doctors, be a part of the change. It makes them feel more fitting inside this hideous judgmental world that we have made.

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