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“Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.”GÉRARD DE NERVAL, FRENCH WRITER AND POET MENTAL WELLNESS02
Are you goingthrough a phaseof bitter disap-pointment be-cause you didn’t
get grades as per your expec-tation in exams? Or do you justfeel lonely, confused and hope-less without any reason ? Thereason could range from spe-cific incidents that have led tosadness to growing-up angst(it happens as the brain is stillin the development phase dur-ing teenage years), concern forfuture in a competitive worldor a family issue that is un-settling and playing havoc with
your peace of mind. What youare going through could be sad-ness or even depression. Ifyour sadness persists for morethan 15 days continuously andyou completely lose interest inactivities that you used to en-joy earlier – its depression (a psychiatrist can diagnose itcorrectly). Either way, if yourstate of mind is botheringyou, don’t hesitate to gethelp from people aroundyou. Here are some things youcan do to manage your troubled feelings.
Acknowledge it Understand that having a prob-lem that affects your mind is
ok, be it depression, anxiety andso on. Do not judge yourself forit and consider yourself weak.Remember, “It’s ok not to beok”, just don’t brush it off.Escapism is not the way out –acknowledgment to self is thefirst step towards getting andfeeling better.
Ask for helpAsking for help when you arefeeling low and hopeless is nota sign of weakness. Rather, itshows your power of analysisand understanding of self –which is a STRENGTH. Reachout to someone you are com-fortable talking to – it could be
a sibling or a close friend. How-ever, sometimes you may feelmore comfortable and less conscious talking to an objec-tive third person who you don’tknow – like a psychologist ora school counsellor. Get on theHelpline if you are not able tomuster the courage to talkabout your issues with yournear and dear ones.
Life is preciousAlways remember that life isprecious and the problems thatyou are facing now have the po-tential to be solved with timeand careful planning.Life isbigger than temporary set-backs. Suicide is never an op-tion to end problems. Life isthe only option.
CALL WHEN IN DISTRESSWhen you feel hopeless, call a helpline
Jeevan Aastha Helpline: 1800 233 3330
As a personwho has had alived experience
with mental illness, Icannot stress enoughabout the importance ofreaching out. Talk.Communicate. Express.Seek help. Remember,you are not alone. Weare all in this together.And most importantly,there is hope,”
DEEPIKA PADUKONE wrote in her post
SHARE WITH US Send queries on mental health
issues you are facing: insecurity aboutfuture in pandemic, feelings of
inadequacy compared to a more academi-cally competent sibling, etc. Times NIE willtake up those issues and help you by giv-
ing advice and tips to cope in a weekly‘Mental Health Column’. Write to us
at [email protected]. WEARE THERE FOR YOU.
you are not alone
Dr Samir Parikh
Given the uncertainty and extent of thecoronavirus pandemic, it’s natural for allof us to be feeling a little more anxiousand stressed than we did before. Thereis concern for both our health and well-
being, and also the uncertainty about what thefuture holds for our education. The key to copingwith this lockdown is to take it oneday at a time, rather than lettingthe uncertainty bog you down.
The most important aspect ofmanaging mental wellness during thislockdown is to maintaina routine in our everydaylife. Make sure that yousleep and wake up at thesame time as you used toduring school days. Takingclasses online, whilemay be challengingand even boring attimes, is a great way to stay in a scheduleand stay connected with classmates. Avoidspending all your time on the bed – working outof a table and chair is recommended.
Since staying indoors all day can add to a feel-ing of restlessness, ensure that you stay physicallyactivate, both by exercising and helping out the
family in household activities. This isalso a great time to catch up
with things that you’vebeen interested in but
haven’t had thetime or opportu-
nity to dobefore – art,
reading, music, writing, cooking –these are all great ways of stay-
ing motivated and positive.Screen time at this time
can’t be avoided – in fact,it’s perhaps our biggestsaviour. But what can becontrolled is the manner inwhich this screen time isused. Don’t spend toomuch time reading the
news; stick to just the latest guidelines laidout by health officials. Also avoid mindless-ly scrolling through social media or for-warding unverified messages. Use this screentime instead to learn a new skill and most impor-tantly, to stay connected with friends and family.
Remember, that while it may not be possibleto rid ourselves of this anxiety entirely, it’s impor-tant to channelise it by doing our bit. Ensure thatyou follow all precautions 100%, both for yourown safety as well as that of your family. Makethis time meaningful by being socially responsible.
(Dr Samir Parikh is an eminent Psychiatrist and the
Director of Department of Mental Health and
Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare)
TIMES NIE EXCLUSIVE COLUMN
Let’s BeKind
Mental Wellnessduring Lockdownfor Students
‘SSR lookedquiteturbulentfrom within’About Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide, filmmakerMUKESH BHATT, says, “I had seen this coming.”He explains further, as he shares his thoughtswith SUGANDHA INDULKAR
Imet Sushant Singh Rajput for the first time in 2012 – duringthe casting of ‘Aashiqui 2’ – he came along with his then girlfriend Ankita Lokhande, but he had already signed up ‘Kai Po Che’. We could not cast him because the dates were
clashing. Later, we met quite often at award functions. When wewere planning ‘Sadak 2’, the search was on for a boy opposite AliaBhatt, and Sushant’s name was suggested.
Sushant came to my office (in October-November 2018). Wespoke for an hour or so. But I thought something was amiss with him,his eyes had a glazed look, I told him, “Beta, you look quite turbulentfrom inside. What is the matter – you must seek medical assistance ifthere is any problem bothering you. Don’t let it grow.” He assured methat he will treat the problem and not ignore it. I told Mahesh Bhattand Alia about my doubts related to Sushant. Later, when Rhea(Chakraborty, his girlfriend) was doing ‘Jalebi’, I spoke to her aboutSushant and told her to take care of him.
This pandemic has created a lot of anxiety – uncertainty is high.The youth is very vulnerable and insecure. More than the coron-avirus, which will go away eventually, mental illness is a bigger andmore serious problem. Depression is a disaster. Mental disorders aresilent killers and Sushant was a serious patient; he was suffering andhe must have decided to end his suffering. We have to understandthis and not point fingers at anyone. Deaths related to depression arevery unfortunate. I salute Deepika Padukone who came out in theopen and spoke about her depression. We as seniors should helpthese youngsters in coping with mental health issues.
MAKING A POINT
Column by Mukesh Bhatt
AYale Center forEmotional Intelligencesurvey of 5,000 teach-ers amid COVID asked
them to describe the threemost frequent emotions they
felt each day. Anxious, fearful,worried, overwhelmed, and sad
were the top five. Anxiety, byfar, was the most frequently
mentioned emotion, accordingto the study. Tending to chil-dren’s psychological and emo-tional needs isn’t impor-tant in a pandemic alone.SEL or Social EmotionalLearning is being perceivedas the future of educa-
tion the world over. This new wayof learning is intended for students tobe self-aware of their emotions.
START YOUNGThe world is increasingly fightingmental illness, a lot of it quietly.For many children, school is theonly place where any deficiencies inthese abilities can be addressed.Untreated or undiagnosed mental
health conditions will affecta student’s ability tolearn, develop, and grow.Teachers who focus on SEL
are more likely to respond tostudents with empathy, nurture
better bonds and face lessburnout.
CALMTHE MINDSocial-emotional
learning is the processof developing self-aware-ness, self-control, and interper-
sonal skills. SEL plays an importantrole in promoting positive mentalhealth and mitigating symptoms ofmental health disorders. The follow-ing are the 5 foundations of SEL: ➤ Self-awareness: Identifying emotions.➤ Self-management: Regulating emotions to handle stress, etc.
➤ Social awareness:Empathise with others; recognisingothers’ needs, strengths.➤ Relationship skills: Establishing andmaintaining healthy and rewarding relationships, resolving conflicts.➤ Responsible decision-making: Makingdecisions based on a consideration ofall ethical standards, safety concerns,and social norms.
➤ Remember, that while itmay not be possible to rid our-selves of this anxiety entirely,it’s important to channelise itby doing our bit. Make this
time meaningful by beingsocially responsible
Know about
Social Emotional Learning
