Psychological Issues? Let us talk about Them !
Today yet another person was lost allegedly due to suicide. And the public took a note of it and there are all kinds of posts regarding mental health only because the victim happened to be a public figure and it was assumed the suicide was due to depression. I see many posts regarding mental health from people I know, my psychology colleagues and my friends. All posts in general are knowledgeable and intensely supportive about mental health. Yet, I don’t know why society still considers mental health as a taboo topic. Despite movies like ‘Dear Zindagi’ where India’s favourite actor Shah Rukh Khan talks about mental health and its implications, most people in our society still believe talking about it is a sign of weakness or worse – a joke, ‘nautanki’, over exaggeration to gain sympathy. Talking about depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, paranoia or any other PSYCHOLOGICAL disorder is NOT a sigh of weakness. If anything, it is sign of strength because that shows the awareness the person has about the disorder and the need for it to get cured. Going to a psychologist or a psychiatrist to talk about mental health is as sensible a thing to do, as it is to visit a physician for a fever or a dentist for tooth ache.
I am a student of psychology, and despite not having pursued a career in the same for reasons of my own, I have a strong sense of understanding about the emotional issues rampant in our society. And time and again I am astonished and pained at the negative connotation towards mental health, emotional issues and psychological disorders. Despite having so many people (including school and college kids) battling issues like depression and anxiety, our society doesn’t realize the importance of remaining emotionally strong. Most of the issues would not probably escalate to that level if only the victims talk about their fears and feelings to someone. But can’t really blame them for it. We as a society have not shown ourselves to be open or supportive about the whole thing as we ought. We have ridiculed people with mental problems in movies, we make jokes about psychologists and call them shrinks, we generalize people with psychological disorders by calling them mental. With such kind of negative publicity of mental health bombarded on people, how would any person suffering from it feel comfortable asking for help? Will it take a loved person or oneself suffering from it to make people realize how serious it is?
People like Deepika Padukone who has openly admitted about battling depression took a strong step in making mental health a discussable topic. Yet, we only talk about it when a prominent figure talks about it or takes a drastic step due to it, not realizing how many such common people and kids in our society are battling psychological issues and too afraid to come out and talk about it.
So, I request you all today – let us take a pledge, to help people talk about their emotional issues. I am not a psychology professional – but I can lend a listening ear to anyone who just wishes to talk about their feelings. And so can you al! So please come out and support. If all you can do is listen to a person ranting out their feelings and speak reassuring words about all being better soon, that will be very helpful to a person in an emotional turmoil. Today, when the world is battling so much of negativity in form of Corona, cyclones and whatnot, let us be the person to spread positivity in someone’s life. If we can each make a positive difference to even one life, the world will be a much better place to live for everybody!
I am a student of psychology, and despite not having pursued a career in the same for reasons of my own, I have a strong sense of understanding about the emotional issues rampant in our society. And time and again I am astonished and pained at the negative connotation towards mental health, emotional issues and psychological disorders. Despite having so many people (including school and college kids) battling issues like depression and anxiety, our society doesn’t realize the importance of remaining emotionally strong. Most of the issues would not probably escalate to that level if only the victims talk about their fears and feelings to someone. But can’t really blame them for it. We as a society have not shown ourselves to be open or supportive about the whole thing as we ought. We have ridiculed people with mental problems in movies, we make jokes about psychologists and call them shrinks, we generalize people with psychological disorders by calling them mental. With such kind of negative publicity of mental health bombarded on people, how would any person suffering from it feel comfortable asking for help? Will it take a loved person or oneself suffering from it to make people realize how serious it is?
People like Deepika Padukone who has openly admitted about battling depression took a strong step in making mental health a discussable topic. Yet, we only talk about it when a prominent figure talks about it or takes a drastic step due to it, not realizing how many such common people and kids in our society are battling psychological issues and too afraid to come out and talk about it.
So, I request you all today – let us take a pledge, to help people talk about their emotional issues. I am not a psychology professional – but I can lend a listening ear to anyone who just wishes to talk about their feelings. And so can you al! So please come out and support. If all you can do is listen to a person ranting out their feelings and speak reassuring words about all being better soon, that will be very helpful to a person in an emotional turmoil. Today, when the world is battling so much of negativity in form of Corona, cyclones and whatnot, let us be the person to spread positivity in someone’s life. If we can each make a positive difference to even one life, the world will be a much better place to live for everybody!
This is literally the need of the hour. There have been so many posts about 'speak to me', etc. but I like what you have written about why people with issues choose silence over reaching out. Well written Amre :)
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