Thanks but 'No Thanks' !

Dear Zindagi movie by director and filmmaker Gauri Shinde released a few years ago and it created awareness about Mental Health. Not that people weren’t aware or were not educated about it. But as a Hindi film having a huge mass impact, it was a pleasant change to see such a topic in the mainstream cinema. The movie spoke about depression, mental blocks associated with it and why seeking therapy should be normalized. But even after 5 years of its release, when people do not take mental health seriously, it is quite depressing ( pun intended).

By definition, #Depression is a medical condition that affects your mood and ability to function. Depression types include clinical depression, bipolar depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder and others.

Here is a write up with details of what causes depressions and the treatments around it.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9290-depression

Human mind is a very complex creation and what goes on inside it, is a mystery!

We do not know what may seem completely non important or a non existent issue, may trigger trauma or disturbance for another. We, as people, have to be more sensitive about what is being said and done along with it's impact on people. NO, this is not about being non tolerant and this is not solely because of social media. In a way it's a blessing that social media highlighted such a crucial issue and people at least started talking about it!

With modern problems modern challenges have risen! And what do we do to deal with it? We give advice!

We think we know it all. We have read articles and we have watched #Youtube Videos. We are such strong individuals we are more than capable of ‘fixing the the person’ ! We can counsel that person into traveling or indulging into retail therapy and THAT should solve all the problems right ?

No!

Instead of thinking of ourselves as some learned intellectual and giving unwarranted, unsolicited advice, one must first reflect within. What and who gives the right to a person to give advice to the sufferer ? And to top it all, generic tips and tricks are so dreadful which make the matter even worse.

In recent years, #Covid and it’s lockdown brought some very challenging times with it which nobody was prepared for! With this came fear, uncertainty and struggle- physical, financial and mental. Those who have been unaffected by it must feel blessed. But those who seem completely normal on the exterior may be going through an internal turmoil which may not be seen on the outside. Moreover, the person may not even feel comfortable opening up or discussing it due the fear of being judged, misunderstood or simply to avoid a conversation about it to escape the reality.

Anger, irritability, frustration, lack of interest, body fatigue , there are many faces to this anxiety and a lot of us are suffering without even our knowledge ( probably we do not even acknowledge it)

So, the simplest thing we can do is just lend an ear. And actually listen for once. Listen without interrupting. Listen without the motive of wanting to talk and give advise. Listening can be really therapeutic and the feeling of being heard is indeed satisfactory. There’s a reason why so many people are turning to therapy these days isn't it ! Because they know when nobody around is listening, there is this therapist who will!

Alas, my suggestion to those ‘Know it Alls’ is, if you can not give peace of mind to someone at least do not break the comfortable cocoon that a person has created around him/ herself with great difficulty and efforts. Back off and keep that ‘Gyaan’ at bay.

Thanks but no thanks !