Towards a Mental Health Epidemic: Addressing the Crisis

After the emergence of COVID mental health is one of the aspects where limelight spotted. When people lost their jobs, education was affected, people lost lives and everyone was scared of a virus roaming in the air. This was indeed a traumatic phase in the lives of people leading to a cumulative mental health crisis in the world.

The data of NCBI states that the “Median Age of COVID-related suicide victims was 45 years (range 15 – 80) wherein 61.3% belonged to 30-59 year age group, and 75.3% were males. 50% of suicides occurred within the first week of COVID-19 diagnosis confirmation, and 50% of suicides occurred at COVID-19 centres. Hanging (53.8%) was the commonest method of suicide, followed by jumping (12.9%)” in a research study. 

Thus this shows that such an attack on global mental well-being has pushed societies towards another pandemic of mental health crisis. 

Mental health problems that we can face 

Depression:

Depression is a mood disorder defined by sadness, mood lability (a low mood on one end among other issues), problems with sleeping and appetite, and without energy or good sleep, this can be extra hard for some people. The good news is that depression has high survival potential if treated effectively as with most other mental disorders.  

Anxiety

 Anxiety disorders as a category of disease are commonly characterized by both chronic worry and numerous physical manifestations of fear that can cause significant problems. There are many forms of anxiety disorder, each with its symptoms, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Phobia, Panic Disorder Agoraphobia OCD PTSD ( or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). We can frequently observe frequent anxiety disorders in individuals experiencing a kind of despair Situational anxiety disorder, might occur at any age. 

OCD

 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause feelings of discomfort and distress as a result, an individual may feel compelled to perform overt or mental rituals to alleviate or reduce these feelings. These behaviours often consume several hours of every day and can severely impair one’s ability to maintain a job concentrate in school interact with friends or family etc. Effective treatments include cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) and medication. See AED regulations, to understand that OCD is about anxiety and compulsive behaviour. 

PTSD

 Trauma or Stress-Related Disorders It is possible to develop PTSD when exposed to a catastrophic event, which generates a continual sense of dread especially with triggering sounds or with social interaction. This sense of fear can take the form of flashbacks nightmares or even a change in one’s perception as a consequence of exposure to the traumatic event – one of the most pronounced symptoms associated with PTSD itself itself. PTSD is often implicated in hiding in a shell to avoid getting triggered by their possible superstitions) and the more such events a person experiences theoretically larger the effect too.  

Lack of mental health professionals 

India has only about 0.7 mental health professionals for every one lakh persons. The standard guidelines suggest that there should be at least three psychiatrists per one lakh population. Such a deficit in the population psychologist ratio is alarming as no one will be there in the case we suffer mental health disorders when they reach their apex. The status of mental health professionals is infirm.

People have a lot of prejudice regarding mental health problems, and it is not in a normalized state. Thus, the preference for treatment for mental health problems seems to be elusive. We are living in a society where mental health professionals are themselves convincing people why their treatment is necessary. Thus it is high time that we move towards spreading awareness regarding the significance of good mental health.

Tips to have a good care of mental health 

1. Seek help when needed:- Seeking for help is an act of courage. It doesn’t mean that you are weak but it means that you have a desire to cure yourselves. Thus whenever needed you must move to a mental health professional to get therapy whenever required. 
2. Eat a balanced diet:- You must pursue a nutritious and balanced diet to maintain a balanced and healthy body. Our body is an essential component of good mental health.  
3. Get enough sleep:- We must maintain a fixed sleep cycle for us. This will direct our body to the timings of relaxation that help the mind to release the stress and relax. 
4. Stay Connected: Maintain relationships with friends and family. Social connections are essential for emotional support. 
5. Exercise Regularly: Physical activity helps reduce stress and anxiety. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.

Thus in a nutshell we shall conclude that having a good mental health is something a necessity of time. We should learn to prioritize our mental health and normalize its treatement to get a happy society.

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Recently RCI has published a new notification declaring that a new course named B.Sc. in psychology shall be introduced. It will prevail for 4 years duration. Students after pursuing this degree shall get the license to practice as counselling psychologists and will also get an RCI registration number. It is one of the revolutionary and somewhat controversial notifications from RCI as a community of psychologists are viewing it with speculation.  

Traditionally being a psychologist is a very lengthy process. First one has to get a bachelor’s in psychology, or this should be one of the disciplines in bachelors. Thereafter one is expected to pursue a master’s in it and then either an M.Phil. or psy D will allow one to be a psychologist after recognition from RCI. Now providing the license to practice just after graduation in order to fulfil the ratio to population is raising questions about this decision. 

No concern for humanities 

Psychology is not completely science. It is considered a mixture of science and humanities. Thus, students from both streams are allowed to pursue psychology as a career. However, after this notification, a student after class 10th will have two options. Either one chooses the science stream to get the license in four years or one can select humanities to go through the traditional way. 

Thus, the most promising method here is the first one. It, therefore, shows no concern for humanities students as they still have to follow the traditional method, however, this is not the same for students of science background. This will lead to generations of psychologists from science who can outnumber those who have humanities. Here psychologists view that it must be equal for both streams as psychology is an interdisciplinary subject. A person with no knowledge of social and political aspects will shrink this discipline with a single shade thereby pushing students from the arts into an inferiority complex in this discipline.

Ambiguity regarding the present status of the psychologist 

Considering those practitioners who have just graduated as equivalent to those who have cracked the traditional process and providing them with RCI registration numbers is something controversial. Although it is necessary to fulfil the psychologist a population ratio, this is raising ambiguity here. Questions such as, “What will be the future status of counseling psychologist who is already practising?”, “What will the way for humanities students to get the same license?” is still inside the box.  

Way forward 

Thus, it is high time that the WE must make the process of reforms inclusive and transparent. Following are the expectations from RCI while making such policies: – 

1. The policy formation process should also include the members who will be affected through this process 
2.  Humanities students should equally get a chance towards getting an RCI license through a similar course to provide level playing field 
3. The ambiguity regarding the present status of psychologists must be cleared. There must be transparency in the process 

Thus, in a nutshell, we shall conclude that policy formation is a complex task. While making such revolutionary policies, one must have a bird’s eye. We must consider all these aspects while making such decisions where the level playing field can be affected. 

References

Freepik images

https://rehabcouncil.nic.in/sites/default/files/circulars-documents/Notification_BSC_CP_HONS_0001.pdf

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New India, Viksit Bharat, and Mission 2047 are some of the famous terms in this election. The present government has committed itself to making India a developed nation till 2047. Being high at all major indexes of the world is undoubtedly a matter of pride. What should India look like? How will this developed India differ according to individuals? How are we going to make this place a better place to live? This blog shall deal with the fundamentals of Viksit Bharat. 

The dream 

Indian society is made up of composite cultures. A variety of castes, classes, genders, and languages do exist here. Thus, it must be a sure fact that the idea of ‘Viksit Bharat’ will not be the same for everyone. It will have a variety of interpretations. When this government first promised ‘ acche din’ it was a slogan to bind these dreams together.

However, this fact later became apparent that the meaning of ‘ acche din’ will be different for all individuals. The dream here was to make an economy that has a major contribution to world GDP. We had a dream to make an equitable society where the disparity of income distribution can be removed. The dream was to make farming a profitable business in this country. A well-developed nourishing education, availability of quality health, a good connectivity and infrastructure.  

The dream was to have development from the village level for a rise of power from grass root level. The digitalization of the country and the efficient use of AI are matters of discussion now. Every Individual has different meanings for development. Where a wealthy and satisfied life are the things which are common for all. How far have we moved ahead towards these goals? Insofar psychology and mental health are respected in this vision? How satisfied are those nations who have attained these goals? We need a brief scrutiny here. 

Mental health: How viable to dream 

However, the missing component here in this dream is the care for meant health of individuals. 8.3 % of the total US population has symptoms of depression. The USA is known for its influence, power and wealth.

Till the individualistic society, there is unable to deal with their minds. 46 million people (about twice the population of New York), a report suggests, are suffering from depression. It means one out of every seven people is a patient with mental illness. This is rapidly inflating, especially after the COVID-19 burst.  

However, while speaking about the development of the nation, we barely accept that the mind also has its health like any other part of the body. Finland has a total GDP of 28,289.63 crores in 2022 and per capita is 50 916.28 US dollars in 2022. India has a total GDP of 3.42 lakh crores US dollars and per capita is 2410.89 US dollars.

However, Finland is the happiest country in the world happiness index. The low crime levels, free education and health care are some of the aspects that make it a happy country. We are not comparing both countries here as the population also differs thus comparison is not statistically correct. However, the thing that is apparent here is that there is a low correlation between the overall economy and the happiness of the country.  

The need

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Earth has enough for everyone’s need but not for anyone’s greed” and this makes us think about what should be the priority of this nation. Economic growth is undoubtedly important in its way however we will not succeed until we make this development holistic. Until we don’t include mental health as an important aspect of policy formation, we will make this country a bunch of wealthy and depressed people. It is high time that we brought mental health into the limelight. The entire productivity of individuals too depends on the level of mental health one holds. 

A dream of a happy country 

Thus, we can say that what we need is a happy country. We are required to normalize mental illness same as physical illness if we want a nation free of crime. Criminals are not born but brought up to commit a crime. If we succeed in having a healthy environment even for the poorest person in the nation, we can reduce the crime rate. Law and punishment are not at all any remedy to reduce crime. It is just a sword to maintain social balance. Crime requires psychological solutions. 

To see a happy nation is the foremost goal that we must dream of. Collectivistic culture is a boon for us that can be used to reform society. It is high time that we employ psychologists wherever they are required. This corporate culture also needs reforms in its working conditions.  

Thus, in a nutshell, I see developed nations as more sympathetic nations. A nation that is happy and mentally healthy. A society that knows its limits has novel energy to work. Where youth need not protest for their jobs. Where students need not go to court to get justice in their examination. A place where the role of psychologists is respected. 2047 is a dream of a nation where we possess equal responsibility.  

References

Google stats, freepik images

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/one-in-every-seven-people-suffers-from-mental-disorder-finds-study/articleshow/72946044.cms

The post Is your mind a part of ‘Viksit Bharat’?  appeared first on DU Times.

Anxiety is one of the common mental problems, especially in metropolitan cities. In such big cities, if we can see a general dissatisfaction towards unknown people in the metro it is not without any reason. A report claims that 1 out of 7 people in Delhi is the victim of any mental disorder. Among such mental problems, anxiety seems to be one of the problems in the limelight. This has been so common in these cities that the public doesn’t even consider it necessary to go to a psychologist for treatment. When this anxiety prevails for a long period and gets its psychosomatic form then we realize that it was critical. Continuous anxiety for 2 weeks can turn into a situation of depression. 

When we fall ill we feel it very common to get it treated. But in India, the boundaries of illness have been limited to physical illness for no reason. Thus when anxiety takes its psychosomatic form in the form of panic attacks then at the severe stage, it becomes tough for a psychiatrist to normalize the patient. Still, there is a huge need to make people aware of the need to treat your mind when it needs it. 

Symptoms of a panic attack 

Panic attacks can range from mild to severe depending on the intensity of anxiety. 

Thus symptoms  of a panic attack can include: 

• heightened vigilance for danger and physical symptoms 
• anxious and irrational thinking 
• a strong feeling of dread, danger or foreboding 
• fear of going mad, losing control, or dying 
• feeling lightheaded and dizzy 
• tingling and chills, particularly in the arms and hands 
• trembling or shaking, sweating 
• hot flushes 
• accelerated heart rate 
• a feeling of constriction in the chest 
• breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath 
• nausea or abdominal distress 
• tense muscles 
• dry mouth 
• feelings of unreality and detachment from the environment. 

If you are feeling any of these symptoms regularly. You must immediately contact any mental health specialist to get it treated. However, it is very common to feel down in our daily lives. Thus some amount of anxiety is even necessary for life. But when symptoms of severe anxiety prevail for a longer period, then it needs to be treated. 

Even when you are a diabetic patient or an individual who is often prone to take stress even in normal situations then you are vulnerable to panic attacks. Your hands can shiver with dry mouth and you will develop an unknown fear that will constantly irritate you. It becomes more severe when you try to calm down yourself by ignoring whatever is happening to you. 

Is it your environment or biology? 

The debate about nature or nurture is very ancient in psychology. Now contemporary psychologists are of the view that neither nature nor nurture are independently responsible for this condition. It is a mixture of both. When you have some genetic influence that is causing anxiety then it needs some medical interventions.

However when you are aware of the reason for your anxiety from your environment then the reason can be different. Thus we must conclude that there are certain levels of analysis while analyzing such a problem. We can analyze it biologically, psychologically, and environmentally These have equal contributions to developing any psychological condition. Therefore it is environment and biology both that are responsible for such conditions of panic attacks. 

Self-help solutions for panic attacks. 

Panic attacks need to be cured by mental health professionals. However, we can take some measures to protect ourselves from the immediate repercussions of this problem: 

1. The first is the need to accept your mental condition. You must be assured of the fact that it is okay not to be okay. You can have anxiety and it’s completely normal 

1. Secondly if you feel like crying, you must cry. Never try to restrict it for any cause 

1. Avoid ‘self-talk’ that focuses your attention on your symptoms – don’t tell yourself ‘Stop panicking!’ or ‘Relax!’ 

1. Focus your attention on something outside your own body and symptoms. For example, distract yourself by counting backward in threes from 100, recall the words from a favorite song, or concentrate on the sights and sounds around you. 

The need for medications 

Some situations can arise where you may need medical intervention to improve your situation. Please never hesitate to take any medication whenever required. Please consult any psychiatrist for the same who is specially trained for such mental disorders. Thus one must take special advice in such cases. The following techniques are advised for the same:- 

• medications 
• psychotherapy 
• biofeedback therapy 
• stress management techniques 
• proper breathing techniques 

However, it is mandatory that you first consult any mental health specialist for its treatment. 

Conclusion

Thus it can be concluded that suffering panic attacks in cases of extreme anxiety is normal to humans. As our body is vulnerable to get it ill, our mind can also be ill. Thus it is necessary to provide the required intervention to our mind from any kind of specialist. Please do take care of yourself. Please try to practice emotional intelligence tactics in your daily life. It will prevent you from all such clutter in your life that you may get from situations or people.

Reference

images- freepik, pixels.

 https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/panic-attack

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We often label individuals as “anti-social” when they’re struggling with anxiety. This anxiety can stem from a fear of meeting new people, engaging in conversations, and facing potential judgment. This overwhelming fear can lead them to withdraw or avoid social interactions altogether. It’s crucial to understand that this behaviour isn’t a deliberate avoidance of social interaction, but rather a reflection of internal battles with anxiety.

The dictionary definition of social anxiety is “An extreme fear of humiliating or embarrassing oneself in social situations” but it’s so much more than that. It is being in a crowded room with your heart racing. Your palms become clammy, and a knot forms in your stomach, twisting tighter with each passing moment. The voice in your head is that of a critic who on somedays whispers in your ear while on somedays it screams and yells at you. It is the art of overthinking the impression one hasn’t even made yet.

STIGMA 

Social anxiety can be traced back to ancient times, with early descriptions by Hippocrates in the 4th century B.C. Hippocrates referred to it as ‘shyness’, describing individuals who were inclined to “love darkness as life” and who believed that “every man observes him.” These observations suggest a recognition of social anxiety-like symptoms, reflecting an ancient understanding of the condition’s manifestations.

It’s important to understand that people dealing with social anxiety aren’t ‘just shy’. These individuals may be dismissed as simply needing to “come out of their shell” or “be more outgoing,” without recognizing the depth of their anxiety and the impact it has on their daily lives. As a result, people with social anxiety may feel invalidated or overlooked, exacerbating their feelings of isolation and alienation. Social anxiety is a merciless jailer, its prison walls forged not of iron but of cruel insecurities and haunting doubts, keeping its victims shackled in a cycle of isolation and self-doubt. 

Moreover, the anxiety and pressure individuals with social anxiety feel around people can lead to avoidance behaviour and other unhealthy coping mechanisms. Avoidance becomes a tempting strategy to ease immediate discomfort, but it ultimately reinforces the cycle of anxiety and perpetuates the stigma surrounding social anxiety. This avoidance can take place in forms such as skipping social events, declining invitations, or even withdrawing from relationships altogether.

Social anxiety is not a character flaw or a personality trait but a mix of genetic, psychological and environmental factors. Reducing it to mere shyness belittles the daily battles faced by individuals contending with this challenge.

IMPACT ON STUDENTS

Students are plagued with a myriad of fears, including fear of failure, fear towards professors, and fear of challenging subjects. For individuals coping with social anxiety, there’s an added fear of interacting with others. This form of anxiety can profoundly impact students, creating a learning atmosphere that impedes their academic progress. Consequently, they may experience feelings of isolation, alienation, diminished self-esteem, and reduced confidence. Moreover, social anxiety can hinder students from expressing themselves and participating actively, causing them to miss out on valuable educational and social opportunities.

In the classroom, social anxiety can act as a hindrance to participation, hindering students from speaking up, asking questions, or engaging in group activities. The fear of drawing attention to oneself or being judged by peers can lead to a reluctance to seek help or clarification, ultimately impeding academic progress and creating a sense of inadequacy.

The constant worry about social interactions can detract from focus and concentration, making it challenging to absorb information or perform well academically. In extreme cases, social anxiety may even lead to school avoidance or dropout, robbing students of valuable opportunities for growth and development.

COPING MECHANISMS

Starting with a conversation on mental health can help create awareness, as it is crucial to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for this condition. What works for one person may not work for another. One valuable tool for coping with social anxiety is cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). This therapeutic approach helps individuals identify and challenge negative thought patterns and behaviours associated with social anxiety. Through CBT, individuals learn to reframe irrational beliefs, develop coping strategies for anxiety-provoking situations, and gradually expose themselves to feared social scenarios in a supportive environment.

When you are struggling with social anxiety, it’s important to practice self-compassion. Be kind to yourself and give yourself grace, as you would do with someone you love who is suffering. The more supportive of yourself you are, the less you’ll turn to self-criticism and harsh judgments. This shift in mindset can help you cope better and build greater resilience. Spend time on activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul such as exercise, meditation, creative expression, and connecting with nature to recharge your energy levels.

Building a support network of trusted friends, family members, or mental health professionals can also provide invaluable support for individuals struggling with social anxiety. A safe space can be important when coping with social anxiety. It provides an environment where you can express your fears and share experiences without judgment or criticism. Finding a community that understands and supports you through difficult moments can be immensely beneficial. Having a safe space to express yourself, vent your frustrations, and receive encouragement can go a long way in helping you cope

CONCLUSION

For those who are struggling with the above, I know it may feel like your anxiety or nervousness may be protecting you. An anxious mind will always find something to be afraid of, it is only when we step in and speak that we set ourselves free. Remember, you are the main character of your life, not a sidekick. And to those who might have friends who are dealing with social anxiety, sometimes a hug can do wonders. Now that I have a supportive family and encouraging friends who don’t judge me even if I make a bad pun, Belle has disappeared, for the better this time.

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