As Alpha predators, we humans have always ruled over the evolutionary chain with an iron fist all through history in terms of mental capabilities. It has led to a plethora of mind-blowing spectacles witnessed throughout history. In today’s world of ever-growing tech and never-ending knowledge, the biggest threat to existence is posed not by WMD’s or wildly beasts or flesh eating plants or by bacteria or viruses or even aliens, if you’re being fictitious. The biggest threat today is posed to us, by us!
With the advancements in medicine and technology, physical health is no longer that big of a concern when compared to that of mental health. Mental Health is a term that still hasn’t established its significance in the modern world. The causes for this daunting issue are so obvious, yet people are oblivious to their effects. White collar jobs, 9 to 5 work hours, mortgages, work or school, deadlines, grades, relationship difficulties, pessimism, lack of flexibility, unrealistic desires, major life changes, life and death, etc, etc. The list goes on. It is evident that the causes of mental issues are simply growing exponentially everyday with the modern lifestyle. Terms like depression and anxiety are becoming a trend. Suicide, a buzzword. Teen population are the major victims of this tragedy that claims historical merits. Trying to fit in is the major reason. According to WHO, India is home to around 57 million people (nearly 18 percent of global estimate) suffering from depression, which has become the second leading cause of suicides amount Indian youths.
Most often then not, these issues go unnoticed or deemed insignificant by a vast majority of the population. People affected deny being ill. People who notice, ignore. Yes, ignorance is bliss. But not when it comes to Mental Health. More often, people who are mentally ill are simply not good at asking for help, they’re so used to being the ‘helper’. Throughout their life, they’ve experienced an unbalanced give and take, so their instinct is usually ” I’ll figure it out on my own “ The self-reliance is all they’ve ever known. Little do they know, they cannot be more wrong.
It’s good to be independent. It’s great to wanting to be free. But that doesn’t meant one shouldn’t seek help when needed. Being mentally wounded is not a condition, it’s a phase of life. It’s not a personal failure. Break the Stigma. They could be strangers, your friends or your own kith and kin. People going through such phases might not necessarily look damaged. They could appear happy. Be conscious of your people. Trust your gut. When you feel someone needs help, let them know they are heard, let them know it’s okay not to be okay, let them know they are not alone. Loneliness is a modern day epidemic. There’s a fine line between being alone and feeling lonely. To care is the only innate characteristic of any sentient being. But it doesn’t end there. When you care about someone, let them know. Make them heard. Invest in your mental health.
What Mental Health needs is more sunlight, more candor and more unashamed conversations – Glenn Close
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