Let’s Talk About Mental Health – Talking Helps!

It’s like all of a sudden a nightmare or a Sci-fi became a reality. With very less time to embrace the avalanche of this crisis dawning upon us, it was almost like being caught unawares. All of us are experiencing a pandamic of this magnitude for the first time. The stress generated has been immense causing different reactions from different individuals. Whereas this is an extra-ordinary situation, mental disorders which cause serious anguish, loss of productivity and even loss of life in extreme situation are still stigmatised. There are rampant misconceptions, superstitions and myths associated with psychological states. We are doing a two part series on escalating mental disorders. While in this first part, we talk about not actually talking about various mental ailments and in the second part, we talk about the rising cases during this period of pandemic with reference to working from home, job losses and a complete changed lifestyle for kids.

We don’t talk about it!

The worst scenario is not talking about it. We are conditioned in such a way that expressing our true self is not acceptable rather a twisted version is presented before the world. Bottled inside and struggling with the conflict leads to enhanced escalation of mental condition which needs a proper address. Leave aside talking about our distorted psychological state, we don’t even talk acknowledge our true emotions. It’s a taboo mostly to express our heart and we only communicate according to accepted societal norms.

Struggling in Silence


Stress is a modern day by-product. Pandemic or no pandemic, people grapple with stress in gigantic proportions now. Across gender, ages, professions it has shown its drastic impact. We have depression, anxiety, OCD as manifestations and quite rampant. What is most ironical and contradictory is that we don’t communicate about it. In fact, a situation causing stress is ignored and the victim is ridiculed thus causing stigma and more agony to the one already suffering.

Dr Tejal Kothari, a Delhi based Psychiatrist, says, “Talking is often considered cathartic. Counselling and psychotherapy used for management of psychiatric disorders is based on talking of course.  However that is not the case with all the personalities. While some people enjoy talking and getting relief by sharing, some prefer to not engage or discuss the feelings. However, in general, its always considered psychologically better to share one’s feelings with your loved ones. Talking to a therapist is obviously a totally different kind of talking. While people suffering from depression may get a temporary or minimal relief by speaking to their loved ones about their issues, the people they speak to may not understand their issues and may just trivialise them. This can actually increase their problem. so the problem here is not just talking but also whom to talk to.”

It’s important to spell out, confide whether to an expert or a confidante, depending upon the magnitude and nature of condition. Suffering in silence and no proper address of any psychological condition can have a catastrophic effect. Let’s talk more about it!