We have been reading so many articles, facts and stories about mental health
these days. Stories about depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder etc. Many people
have curbed up their phase of poor mental health while some have drowned in
this phase to such an extent that it has taken a toll on their life. According to
WHO reports more than 246 million people of all ages are suffering from
depression. More than 700,000 people die by suicide every year, which is one
person every 40 seconds. Suicide is accounted for 1.3% of all deaths
worldwide, making it the 17th leading cause of death in 2019. This is
worrisome and alarming.
The WHO defines mental health as "a state of well-being in which the
individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of
life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to
his or her community" . But is the population worldwide really standing up to
this definition, probably not. The best example is Japan, a country which is
known for its successful economy and ingenious technology. Japan has the
highest rates of suicide despite the fact that it is developed in all ways. Reports
state that Japan recorded more cases of Suicide than COVID in October 2020.
These are just the figures which can increase if we neglect our mental health.
“It's just a matter of courage to ask for help and not an act of gaining
sympathy”. One should always keep in mind that if you are in need and you
know that you cannot help yourself anymore there’s no shame in asking for
help. When you are depressed or if you are going through something terrible or
have faced any tragic incident it's always better to seek help from a psychologist
or anyone who is liable to guide and help you out. When there is emotional pain
it is much harder to bear because you know you cannot face the pain , control
the dreadful thoughts and live in peace. Life has its way of changing the
patterns and doesn't work according to our will. It will never be perfect because
it always has its share of troubles, shocks , sadness and happiness which are
beyond our control. No person can make the right decision every time and no
person can do things perfectly all the time. One can be impulsive at times and can end up making harsh
decisions but always remember that “It's okay to not be okay".
So just don't wait till others realize that you need help, don't wait for it to take a
toll on your life and destroy it, just ask for help, speak up, cry when you want to
and open up. Here I would like to share my experience: When I was in 10th
grade I faced betrayal, backstabbing, and hatred at the same time from the
people closest to me .This incident was devastating for me cause I never
expected them to do this. I cried because I was hurt and depressed due to which
I was not able to concentrate on my studies for a month and the worst part of all
was that it was 10th grade, one of the most crucial year for every student. I knew
that if this continues my grades will decline and all my hard-work will be in
vain. So, I gathered the courage to ask for help from our principal who was also
my counsellor, because I knew I had to get over this as soon as possible, and
after sessions of counselling I was free, free and happy from the darkness,
loneliness and distraction. I made new friends, learnt a life lesson from my past
experience and made sure I don't repeat the same mistake again. I scored
meritorious marks and got into one of the most prestigious institutions . I still
appreciate myself for seeking help for it wouldn't have been possible for me to
score such good marks without those counselling sessions .
So be brave, for your braveness will smoothen your path of success and you
will live a life you dreamt of. Don't repress make progress cause your one
small step to break taboo can help you save your life and inspire others facing
the similar problem to do the same, and if we continue this chain I am sure we
can reduce the cases of poor mental health and suicide.
-Christina Miranda (SYJC)
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