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.

The post The Looming Mental Health Crisis: An Epidemic on the Horizon  appeared first on DU Times.

Filicide refers to an act of killing one own’s child. This is something unfathomable crime which has a variety of factors influencing such behavior. In India, the gradual increase of this crime is something that requires a limelight. Being a parent is something a matter of responsibility and pride. However how this situation is turning itself upside down? This blog shall discuss some important issues and ramifications in the context of filicides. 

Was it a practice in history? 

Although no such concrete proof of filicide can be gathered from pages of history however we can infer that this practice was apparent. Especially in the case of a woman who used to become a mother without marriage. They either used to kill their child or leave anywhere to get the child in the hands of luck. In cases of severe war where there was an apprehension of getting brutally murdered by enemies, then parents tend to kill their children. Some instances are also recorded during the partition of India where communal riots also led to some filicides. For the sake of ‘family honor’ especially females were killed. However, these are some recorded situational factors of history. Although the political makeup of this society has gradually changed fillicide remains apparent. The psychological context here is something complex in nature. 

Types of filicides 

While describing the reasons for such actions, files have been classified by American psychiatrist Phillip Resnick based on motives here 

Altruistic filicide:-

Where parents kill their child for the “ best interest of the child”. When they see death as something in their best interest especially in war zones or any other reason they tend to kill their child. 

Psychotic filicide:-

Where the parent kills the child without any severe reason because of some psychotic experiences. 

Unwanted filicide:-

Here the parent tends to kill their child when they see their child as a hindrance to their social benefit. 

Accidental filicide:-

Where a parent kills their child as a result of some neglect. 

Spouse revenge filicide:

Where with the motive of taking revenge on one’s spouse one tends to kill one’s child. 

They found jealousy, unemployment poor literacy, substance abuse, etc. Some of the vital factors influencing this filicide. Sometimes very high degree of neuroticism tends to affect this filicide.  

Case of filicides 

One of the founders of an AI startup has been allegedly involved in filicide action.

Total cases of filicides have been recorded as 0.6 to 2.1 percent out of 100000 children below 15 years of age in India. 

“The burden of childcare often falls on the mother. The expectations from her are huge from her own family and society, without looking or addressing her own physical and mental health,” said Prof Prabha S Chandra, Psychiatry 

However, filicide is undoubtedly a violation of human and child rights in the country. This becomes apparent that psychotic issues are something that is significantly ignored in society. The legal measures althoigh can maintain order in society however it is not possible to eradicate this kind of unfathomable problem out of the box without addressing the root cause here.  

Kota deaths: a mental filicide? 

Mental filicide is in a sense what the Supreme Court in its words quoted by stating wrong the blame games on coaching institutions. It rather blamed the higher expectations of Parents which are forcing children to push themselves towards death beds. A home is a place where that child has to feel comfortable. It is the responsibility of a civilized nation to at least provide a comfortable place to survive. However, the cases in Kota are something which is in contrast to the expectations. If a 14-15 year child is struggling in Kota with a known fact that the abundance of fees has been spent on her with no mental support the annual deaths at Kota seems to be expected. A total number of students entered there, everybody couldn’t return, making the place a war zone for seats. 

Solutions and way ahead: It is possible to stop 

1. To stop such killings it is very important and a national responsibility of the government to hire the mental health specialist wherever needed 
2. Legal process must be made stringent in case of violation of child rights. Children must be aware of the apprehensions regarding their security and the preventive measures. 
3. Schools must be strict towards parental training to avoid accidental filicide 
4. The indirect causes like literacy rate, poverty, and crimes involved must be scrutinized by authorities 
5. There must be protection for those children whose parents are undergoing some divorce-related issues. 

Thus in a nutshell we shall conclude that this is a concept that generally remains in vain in society. Thus to make society a civilized nation to live in we must provide adequate parental guidance and children’s protection. The human rights violation contains filicide as an essential component in it. 

 References

Times of India

Indian Express

Freepik images

Wikipedia

The post Filicide: Why parents are killing their own child? appeared first on DU Times.

One of the widespread problems that 25.7 percent of the total population of India is suffering from is Insomnia. Insomnia refers to the state of sleepless nights where one constantly tries to sleep but can’t get into it. Even if the person gets into it, it becomes very difficult for the person to cover all the stages of their sleep. Thus she never reaches deep sleep. Constantly mind is triggering thoughts regarding some of the issues of the day thereby creating anxiety. Are you the same person to suffers sleepless nights? If yes then this blog is for you. 

Why are you suffering? 

Except for the genetic and biological causes, if you are suffering from insomnia it can have psychological causes behind it. The high amount of anxiety and stress is one of the widespread reasons that you tend to wake up at night. If you are suffering from any devastating problem in your life then also you can suffer it. It is mostly prevalent among employees in the corporate and students. One of the problematic facts is that students of an average of 16 years and above are the victims of this.  

One of the data shows that 50.1% of total university students in India are suffering from insomnia causing this problem to convert into an epidemic. Thus if this does not get prevented then it will tend to reduce the average life span of humans. Persons suffering from such mental problems tend to reduce their life span. They are also vulnerable to many physical diseases when this anxiety takes its psychosomatic form in the form of insomnia. 

Major causes behind insomnia can be listed as follows:- 

1. Stress 

1. Poor sleep habits 

1. Eating too much late in the night 

1. Mental health disorders 

1. Sleep disorders 

1. Caffeine 

1. Substance abuse 

Symptoms of insomnia

As per some of the symptoms pointed out by mayoclinc.org if you have some or all of these symptoms then you are a victim of this disease. 

• Having a hard time falling asleep at night. 

• Waking up during the night. 

• Waking up too early. 

• Feeling tired or sleepy during the day. 

• Feeling cranky, depressed, or anxious. 

• Having a hard time paying attention, focusing on tasks, or remembering. 

• Making more errors or having more accidents. 

• Having ongoing worries about sleep. 

Social reasons for insomnia 

Insomnia also has some social reasons. It means that social context has a vital role to play if you are having sleepless nights. We have to consider the fact that rare situations of sleepless nights must not be categorized as insomnia. It is a problem when we are facing such nights constantly. Also if you are a night owl who loves to read and study at night but is happy to manage a minimum 8 hours of sleep a day, then it is not a problem. However, if you are constantly trying to sleep but can’t sleep but can’t get a sound sleep then you must move to a psychologist. 

A person in love spending sleepless nights isn’t just limited to novels of Shakespeare. It also has some sort of reality in it. Also person in distress or suffering from bereavement suffers the same. There are a lot of social problems and personal trauma which are responsible for this situation. Thus in all such cases, you must reach out to a mental health specialist to get a solution. It is completely not okay if you are ignoring this situation as this will create catastrophic consequences for your health and social life. 

Prevention from insomnia 

Thus it becomes necessary that you take the required action if you want to prevent this problem from disturbing you. This can include:- 

1. You can fix a sleep schedule if you are at the initial stage. Please keep the time to sleep and awake the same. 

1. Physical activity can help your body to release stored energy and produce new energy thus helping you to deal with this problem. 

1. Please try to avoid nicotin alcohol or any substance abuse. 

1. You can have a shower before going to sleep. This will help you to relax 

1. Please keep your bedroom away from your professional life. You must carry on your official work at any other place 

However, in case of severe symptoms, you must go to a mental health specialist to have the required therapies and treatment. 

Thus it can be concluded that insomnia seems to be a very huge problem, especially for youth. For a variety of reasons, it becomes very difficult for patients here to sleep. This in turn has a severe impact on the daily life of patients. Thus this must be taken care of from the stage when it is at its mild form to avoid any kind of severe symptoms. Remember that 8 hours of sleep is mandatory for having a fulfilled life. So please maintain a very good sleep cycle of yourself. 

References

mayoclinic.org, NIHgov.in

images- Freepik

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Are you a metro species?

When you travel through the metro, it can easily be observed that the common public is running to get something. Some are on a phone call, some are depressed from their boss, and the majority of the people remain busy with their earphones either listening to
songs, podcasts, or something else. The fact is everyone wants to get engaged and needs affiliation but in metro cities, their smartphones remain the only way to get engaged. Am I true here?

I know what the imagery in the reader’s mind about the metro love stories and the fights there sometimes seems to be entertaining but believe me it’s something more than that. The factor is it is very usual for students to travel by metro. In the metro, there are nearly 3 million passengers approx. in a month. If a student travels daily 2 hours by metro it is by calculation nearly a month in a year. It means every year a student spends 1 month inside the metro so there is a species that exists there that we can call a metro species.

The question is how many of them are happy? How many professionals and students can affiliate through natural means and how many positive reactions we can observe to “excuse me”?
This is what everyone calls a professional life where the duties and responsibilities are something more than a person. Thus, I believe that present-day Delhi is living in isolation in a crowd where what the human needs is not there. As you step onto the busy platforms and get into the trains that weave through the city’s veins, you can’t miss the rush all around you.

Is corporate living in solitude inside a crowd?

People move everywhere, each going to their place, with their own goal. Yet, in this storm of movement, a strong feeling of being alone stands out—though you’re around lots of people, you feel by yourself in a big sea. This alone feeling is deep in today’s city life. The non-stop rush, with work and social pressures, often leaves little space for real connection. In a city where time is gold and bonds can be short, it’s easy to feel cut off from others—to miss out on the simple happy bits of being with people.

The report on the mental health of adults by WHO posits in 2019 that 15 percent of total working-age adults are either in depression or prone to depression which in turn leads to loss of 12 billion working days every year. Delhi is indeed currently exhausted by the corporate and machine culture at present and only stays there just for livelihood. If monetary gains remain the only reason to work, we must call it workload as it is a load that we are weighing on our heads. What the problem is? and why people can’t take an interest in their profession.

Problem in culture

One of the professionals from product design maintained that there are two kinds of mindsets. One is a fixed mindset that allows people just to focus on the goals to think out of the box. Which makes “intrapreneur” is what lacking in our corporate culture. Another is a growth mindset in which the majority of unicorns are working, where the humanist theory of self-actualization is applicable where if the required need of belonging and affiliation are being fulfilled then a person can grow.

It is also apparent that there is an urgent need to stop the gradual conversion of humans to humanoid robots. In this era, the only difference that remains between robots and humans is that humans can feel emotions, thus as one of the responsible members of this community is that this emotion must be protected not tortured.

Secondly, it is very necessary for companies and institutions is that they must keep the power politics under very favourable conditions where they must respect the personal boundaries of the person.

Are you the one who will solve it?

Yet, there’s hope in the chaos. The same things that make us feel alone can show us how to connect again. Starting with kind acts like smiling at someone you don’t know. Talking to someone else on the train, in offices, or helping out when you can.
Also, we can make places in the city where people can meet and connect deeply. This could be through events for everyone, art in public places, or parks where people can gather.

These efforts can bring together people from all kinds of backgrounds, making
a sense of togetherness and unity. The answer is in seeing city life in a new way. By making
people and making friendships important, we can build a city that’s full of life and full of meaningful ties. So, the next time you’re moving through the underground maze of the metro, stop for a bit, to look deeper.

Amid the noise of every day, there’s a bag of stories to be shared. Which is a sign of how strong we can be together, and the lasting strength of being connected. The debate is not what we think Delhi is but how to find a solution for this non-sociable solitude. Which we are gradually converting into loneliness and the answer lies within. Please maintain your human emotions. Laugh when you feel so, disagree when you can’t agree, cry when you are not okay. Please respect yourself and take care of yourself. Remember you are ideal of someone you don’t know.

References

Freepik images (https://www.freepik.com/)

The post Why Delhi lives in Solitude appeared first on DU Times.

The demise of actor, Sushant Singh Rajput has shook the country. Furthermore, the cause of death has affected more than anything else.

Hence, Smriti Irani shared inspirational and motivational quotes on her official Instagram account.

Her first post reads, “Never forget from where you came from and never take your eyes off where you’re heading.”

Additionally,the second lesson she shared through her quotes read, “Those who fly alone have the strongest wings”.

Furthermore, the third life lesson was directed towards chasing dreams. About never giving up. And chasing your dreams, even when the crowd around you hate your confidence. About chasing your dreams even when people around you hate that very fact. The quote reads, “People will hate you for chasing your dreams, because you remind them that they’re not.

She also shared a quote mentioning the importance of saying no. Further, she emphasized on saying no without providing an explanation for the same. And that it is okay to say no.

In her last Instagram story, the Union Minister asked the struggling people to stay strong, to not give up. Further, the quote was about inspiring, as no one knows how their lives inspire that of other people. The quoted text read, “Be strong. You never know who you are inspiring.

Smriti Irani as of now is the Union Cabinet Minister for Textiles and Women and Child Development. Further, she is also a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Lok Sabha constituency of Amethi, Uttar Pradesh (UP).

The country is still healing from death of Sushant Singh Rajput. It has brought again into light the issue of mental health. Furthermore, it has also lightened the flame of nepotism in Bollywood.

Related-https://www.dutimes.com/talks-of-mental-health-reignited-as-bollywood-actor-sushant-singh-rajpoot-commits-suicide/

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