Dhivyaraksha Pajni
Have you ever tried talking about mental health with your family and friends and have not been taken seriously?
Or have there been times when you consulted a mental health professional for yourself but haven’t really discussed about with anybody?
Mental health is still seen as a stigma or there is still a taboo attached to the very idea of visiting a mental health practitioner in India.
Mental health is a state of well-being. Exactly how we pay attention to our physiological difficulties, there are times when our mind needs a checkup too. Mental well-being is important and probably more important than that of physical well-being. This can be said so because it has been scientifically proven that if a person is mentally fit then there are a lot of physical ailments that are automatically taken care of.
Mental health today, especially post the pandemic, is something that people are beginning to pay attention to. However, there is still a large section of people who attach a stigma to it.
Please consider this case study to better understand the stigma.
Ms.Y, a 52-year-old lady, married for 27 years lives with her husband and her son. Throughout her marriage, her world mainly revolved around the kitchen and the other household chores. Though she wanted to be included in other areas, like finance, kids’ education, and other discussions and decisions, she never really had the opportunity to be a part of one. Initially, she kept obliging to maintain harmony and thinking that one day she would be heard or listened to. However, that one day never came. And she was mainly considered as the person who handles the kitchen and the housekeeping departments. This treatment towards her had pushed her into a shell and she started to remain quiet most of the time. As time went by she had started to withdraw from events and other family gatherings and was most of the time confined to her room. To this, the family only kept telling her to get out of the room and go out mingle with people which really didn’t help as the deep underlying issue was not being addressed. This eventually only lead to stereotyping her as a lazy person.
So what exactly does being mentally well indicate? A state of mental well-being is when an individual realizes his or her capabilities and strengths. He or she can understand their strengths and weaknesses and is able to apply a positive mindset towards improving himself or herself and tread ahead in their paths towards their desired goals or success.
Why is mental health important?
