On 14th June noon, when we heard the news that Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput took his life, everyone was shaken. When the reason for his suicide came out to be depression, everyone began talking of how he was unappreciated, nepotism, star-kids of b-town, mental health, anxiety, depression, and whatnot, everyone did their research and became an expert on mental health, but this façade was only going to last for a couple of days.
Mental illness is of various types like anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD, and more. The one that grabs our attention is depression and anxiety because there are celebrities who opened up about their struggle with mental health. In this article, I will share my understanding and familiarity with the concept of mental health and recommend some books to provide the readers with insight.
First up, we start with Anxiety Disorders which are mostly known as psychotic disorders, they are marked by extreme anxiety which comes out as the natural response when a person is stressed; it comprises various disorders and related conditions such as — panic attacks, phobias, Obsessive-Compulsion Disorder(OCD) separation anxiety disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD); anxiety is of different levels ranging from stage fright that leads to stuttering, fatigue, or passing out right before the performance and goes on to difficulty in breathing, all this comes in the category of a panic attack. Phobia refers to the fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
OCD is when repetitive irrational thoughts compel you to perform a cycle of certain repeated behaviors. Separation Anxiety Disorder is the fear of being separated from home or your loved ones. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is when a person has had a traumatic encounter in the past which terrifies them. These conditions are confirmed to be life-threatening; Did you know that there are cases in which a person dies of a panic attack or anxiety? Odd, isn't it? You may have seen in movies where due to a technical issue the lift stops abruptly and then there is this individual who starts sweating and suffocating, this particular individual is just having a panic attack because s/he has a phobia; a fear of being inside closed places. You may not have any clue about how that feels; I will tell you how that feels, it feels like the walls are closing on you and your lungs have emptied up of all the oxygen that they had and if this cannot get worse, you feel like your windpipe is chocked, and it does not get better with every passing moment.
Up next, we have Bipolar Disorders, which can be hard to diagnose, especially in children, because of its distinct features and factors. Those suffering from Bipolar disorder experience abrupt variations in moods, and their moods can go from being ecstatic to despondent after all it is only a matter of time that this gloominess will turn to serious depression. The obvious signs include — extreme happiness, inflated self-esteem, endless blabbering, racy thoughts, and ideas; other signs are feeling depression, lowered energy levels, and suicidal tendencies. People with bipolarity get hyped up and need an exhausting activity or exercise to release their emotions, some may choose to do it in the form of art like painting, sketching and others may choose sports like kick-boxing, mixed-martial-arts, etc.
Next, we discuss Oppositional Defiant Disorder, which is characterized by furious outbursts, irritable mood, argumentative behavior. Those suffering from Oppositional Defiant Disorder are likely to target authority personages such as parents, teachers, and siblings, which may create differences, with family and friends. Their behavior is often violent and offending and in severe cases may even involve hostility towards animals. Sounds nerve-wracking, right?
Following this we have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD as we call it is one of the most common disorders that arise in childhood often lasting into adulthood, its main features are inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity, some have either of the two features while others have both. Inattentive people have a hard time concentrating, get easily distracted, face difficulty in the completion of tasks, and it is challenging for them to follow instructions. Extremely hyperactive-impulsive people have the habit of fidgeting, interrupting people while talking, and zoning out. A combination of both includes lack of attention, impulsiveness, and high levels of activity. That's right, they have high levels of activity, they find a way to release their pent-up frustration and explode, they have a unique way of expressing themselves and never shy away from giving their opinion.
Finally, we talk about how to maintain mental health; during these uncertainly challenging times, developing some routine practices can ease your mind. Simple meditation like focused breathing can be very soothing; scheduling a workout routine can prevent over training syndrome and help one to seclude from the monotonous routine; setting a limit to the number of hours we spend staring on the screen and spending more time on face-to-face conversations with our family can be relieving, similarly, setting work limits may result in greater productivity and further help in reducing fatigue. A simple act carried out with focus may also relieve anxiety, such as watering the plants.
One good thing about them is that they are passionate about what they do, and end up choosing it as their career option. So, if you find out any of the friends, employees, or family members have any of the above health issues then you are up for a ride and believe me when I say that they are best at what they do.
The first thing that Indian parents think about when they discover that their child is suffering from mental illness, anxiety, or any disorder, is that, “... There are relatives, friends, society, what will they all say? Do I tell them that my child is crazy? What will they think...”, in our society parents are least concerned about how their child is dealing with mental health, anxiety, or any disorder locked up in the room, what they care about is “Log Kya khenge” or precisely, why is the door locked? That is their main worry, their logic is peculiar, like what was the need to close the door when it could have been left open, right? You see Typical. Indian Thinking.
Let me give you some advice. You know what, it will not kill you to simply text a friend of yours who you have lost touch with over the years, so just pick up your phone and text them “Hello, how are you? It's been a while...” and you will see how happy they were to hear from you; you don't always have to wait for another person to make a move, why don't you try to be the one a generous heart. If you are in a good mood then you must express it, give a vibrant smile to the next person who greets you and you won't even realize the great difference that you had made in their lives.
Stay happy, stay positive, and spread happiness around yourself.
By Ifra Burhan,
Kirori Mal College,
University of Delhi