TO CONSULT OR NOT TO CONSULT: THE STIGMATA AROUND VISITING A PSYCHIATRIST IN INDIA

- April 03, 2022

According to WHO, human health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. Out of which mental health is the most commonly ignored part of a human’s wellbeing in the world, especially in India. Here, any person meeting a psychiatrist is immediately branded as a “mad” person by the society. This is because of lack of awareness among the general public on what constitutes a mental disorder and how likely it is to be cured.

KNOW YOUR ILLNESS:

Mental health issues include a wide range of problems ranging from clinical depression, anxiety, eating disorders, post traumatic stress disorder to schizophrenia, ADHD, OCD etc.

Fortunately, mental health issues have gained more importance in the eyes of general public in the post covid era where people have started realising what’s it like to have professional guidance.

HOW CAN SEEING A PSYCHIATRIST HELP YOU:

1. THEY WILL HEAR YOU OUT:

Sometimes, all you need is someone to talk to and share your problems with. We generally do not do that with our family or friends in the fear of becoming a weaker person in their eyes or being an added burden. And since not everyone is trained to provide counselling or to listen, it might be overwhelming for them too. That’s where your psychiatrist/ psychologist will help you. They have learned their whole life to listen to people’s problems and you need not have the fear of being judged. This makes a whole lot of difference to begin with.

2. PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE:

Diagnosing your mental health problem is the most important part of understanding your health. Currently, people have a lot of access to information through the internet and social media which can sometimes be harmful as well. Lot of sources on the internet can misguide you with wrong information or over diagnosing your problem and creating a panic. This can be avoided if you directly seek professional help.

3. MEDICATIONS:

Mental health struggles occur due to hormonal imbalance in the body which include the endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine etc. When most of the mental wellness issues can be addressed by lifestyle modifications and counselling, some of them require medical management as well. Some may rarely even require medical or surgical interventions. Self-medicating with over-the-counter drugs or ignoring medications can prove to be harmful to mental health which can later manifest as physical illness.

4. CHANCE TO IDENTIFY OTHER ISSUES:

Meeting your psychiatrist can also help in identifying other physical diseases as well, as they are trained physicians themselves. This helps in referring you to an appropriate specialist and treating both the disorders at the same time.

HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SOCIETY:

1. Ignore what anyone has to say about your mental health issues and the judgements they give about visiting the psychiatrist.

2. Talk to them about your problem and help them understand if they are someone close to you.

3. Explain about your visit to your psychiatrist and how it benefitted in your progress.

4. Educate people around you about mental health issues and encourage other people with mental health struggles to consult a psychiatrist as well. Even your small act can make a difference in someone’s life. Visiting a psychiatrist or a psychologist doesn’t necessarily mean someone is extreme. Just like how even a bruise needs medical attention sometimes, minor alteration in mental health needs to be addressed too. And there is nothing wrong in doing so. Mental well-being is a process and you don’t have to struggle in silence.