Mental Health: I care, let’s talk about it It’s okay not to be okay!
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. It is well said that “without mental health there can be no true physical health”. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
Family history of mental health problems
WHO defines mental health as “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”. According to a report published in The Lancet Psychiatry last year, there were 197.3 million people (14.3% of the population) with mental disorders in India in 2017. Depression and anxiety disorder were found to be the top mental illnesses. Also 28% of global suicides take place in India. Everyone feels worried or anxious or down from time to time. But relatively few people develop a mental illness. What's the difference? A mental illness is a mental health condition that gets in the way of thinking, relating to others, and day-to-day function. Dozens of mental illnesses have been identified and defined. They include depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and many more. Mental illness is an equal opportunity issue. It affects young and old, male and female, and-individuals of every-race background,
education level, and income level. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry
out day-to-day tasks. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that is chronic and severe that has affected people throughout history. Schizophrenia distorts the way a person thinks, acts,
perceives reality, expresses emotions and relates to others. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder happens when an individual experiences a horrifying ordeal that involves physical harm or the
threat of physical harm.
Stigma can pervade the lives of the people with mental health problems in many different ways. Stigma in the form of social distancing has been observed when people are unwilling to associate with a person with mental illness. Self-stigma or internalized stigma is the process in which people with mental health problems turn the stereotypes about mental illnesses adopted by the public toward themselves. They assume they will be rejected socially and so believe they are not valued. Being discriminated against has a huge impact on self-esteem and confidence. This can increase isolation from society and reinforce feelings of exclusion and social withdrawal. The Queensland Alliance for Mental Health observed that people with mental health problems are “frequently the object of ridicule or derision and are depicted within the media as being violent, impulsive and incompetent”. A person suffering from mental health problems may not be comfortable in sharing his feelings and thoughts with anyone and may be suffering on his own alone and struggling in silence because asking for help is a sign of strength and in this condition they may be afraid of their own mind.
A person suffering from mental illness may have the following symptoms visible in them:
Feeling down for a while
Extreme swings in mood
Withdrawing from family, friends or activities
Low energy
Problems in sleeping
Often feeling angry, violent, or hostile
Feeling paranoid, hearing voices, or having hallucinations
Often thinking about death or suicide
Overthinking
Crying
Panic attacks
Negative thinking all the time People suffering from mental health problems may tend to hurt themselves like committing suicide, doing dangerous stunts, poisoning themselves, they may also indulge in drug abuse etc. Suicide is a major health problem, and the global suicide mortality rate amounts to 1.4% of all deaths worldwide. Research consistently shows a strong link between suicide and depression. A diagnosis of depression elevates a person‟s risk for suicide. Most suicides are related to psychiatric disease, with depression, substance use disorders and psychosis being the most relevant risk factors. However, anxiety, personality, eating, and trauma-related disorders, as well as organic mental disorders, also contribute. That‟s why “We should never give up on someone with a mental illness because when „I‟ is replaced by „We‟, illness becomes Wellness”. Emotional and mental health is important because it‟s vital part of your life and impacts your thoughts, behaviors and emotions. Being healthy mentally can promote productivity and effectiveness in activities like work, school, home and caregiving. Depression, anxiety, and mood disorders are common in the LGBTQ community. One reason for this is the stress LGBTQ people face because of prejudice and discrimination. These experiences cause low self-esteem, isolation, and negative sexual and gender identity. Family rejection is one of the biggest fears and risk factors of suicide attempts for LGBTQ people. The lack of understanding and acceptance from family and friends can be isolating and make it difficult to receive the resources they need to live healthy life. If those feelings last for a long time, they can grow into anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. During these exceptional times of pandemic, many of us our confronted with psychological problems related to isolation, anxiety, loneliness, frustrations, addictions, insecurities, depression, fears and worry. The covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in people‟s lives. COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has brought about a sense of fear and anxiety around the globe. This phenomenon has
led to short term as well as long term psychosocial and mental health implications for children and adolescents. The quality and magnitude of impact on minors is determined by many vulnerability factors like developmental age, educational status, pre-existing mental health condition, being economically underprivileged or being quarantined due to infection or fear of infection. There have been reports of people experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, fear, frustration and depression, owing to loss of income, increased isolation, uncertainty, etc. With the country reeling under a second wave of coronavirus, people are once again forced not to step out of their homes except for essentials, to wear masks, and maintain social distancing. With the closure of schools and colleges, students have largely been confined to their homes. While online classes try to ensure continuity of education, not all can afford it due to poverty, internet connectivity issues, lack of devices, and other variety of issued. The prolonged stay at home means different impacts and challenges for different sections of the people. Mental health issues can drain your energy, leaving you feeling empty and fatigued. This can make it difficult to muster. But there are small steps which they can take to make themselves i.e., the people who are suffering from mental problems feel good and more in control and can also help in improving their overall sense of well-being: Spending time in nature Spending time with the loved ones Listening to the music Incorporating meditation Daily yoga and exercise Taking good amount of sleep Having nutritious and healthy diet Follow your hobby or do something which make you feel happy Psychotherapy Live in the moment and stop thinking about past and future There are also many initiatives taken by government like apps and programs which are being launched to promote mental well-being of the society like Happify, Moodfit, Depression CBT Self-Help Guide, Talkspace, MANAS etc. The government of India recently launched a mobile app called MANAS which stands for Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System and it
was initiated by the Office of the PSA and jointly executed by the NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences). The app, which is meant to act as a guide, has been developed to promote the mental well-being of people across different age groups in the country. In other words, its objective is to build a happier, healthier community. Apps like this are based on life skills and psychological processes, and delivers age-appropriate methods to promote positive outlook. These apps have been gamified interfaces to enhance user engagement, support tele-consultation, and also track the health of users. Although the rate of COVID-19 infection among young children and adolescents is low, the stress confronted by them poses their condition as highly vulnerable. Many cross-sectional studies have been conducted to analyze the impact of COVID-19 and lock down on children and youth. The results of these studies show that the nature and extent of this impact depend on several vulnerability factors such as the developmental age, educational status, pre-existing mental health condition, being economically underprivileged or being quarantined due to infection /fear of infection. Studies show that young children show more clinginess, disturbed sleep, nightmares, poor appetite, inattentiveness, and significant separation problems. The containment measures like school and activity centers closures for long periods together expose the children and youth to the debilitating effects on educational, psychological, and developmental attainment as they experience loneliness, anxiety, and uncertainty. Compulsive use of internet gaming and social media puts them at higher risk. Children and adolescents with mental health conditions are not used to variation in the environment. Hence there could be an exacerbation in symptoms and behavioral problems. There is a need to ameliorate children and adolescent's access to mental health services by using both face to face as well as digital platforms. For this collaborative network of parents, psychiatrists, psychologists, paediatricians, community volunteers, and NGOs are required. This would be crucial to prevent during and post-pandemic mental challenges in the most vulnerable and underprivileged section of the society. The focal point of the health care system and policymaking should be prevention, promotion, and interventions corresponding to the public mental health system to meet the mental health needs of the population at large . “Don’t let the sadness of your past and fear of your future ruin your happiness today. Stay positive because today could be the best day of your life”.
Written by Siddhi Porwal, 2nd Year
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