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

-

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. 

 



This post is a part of Blogchatter's CauseAChatter.

#penbooksandscalpel

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

-
Image
Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.   ‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’ Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile. Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was alwa...
Read more

CHAPTER 4 - DISTANCE MATTERS

-
Image
'Congratulations on your promotion and transfer. We are looking forward to your full commitment to us. Do get back to this letter at the earliest with your answer.' Read the crafted piece of paper. Ahmed's parents were delighted and jumping with joy. They were chanting 'Alhamdulillah' fervently while Aliza stood confused. She could not make anything of this news because Ahmed's promotion meant everything to her. But his transfer would only mean that Aliza must stay back with her in-laws while he would visit only during weekends. She would happily do so, too, if not for her unsupportive mother-in-law. Aliza wanted to cry, and her eyes brimmed with tears that the world looked like a smudged canvas laying still in front of her. She looked at Ahmed pleadingly and waited until 10 to ask him if he really wanted to go. Asking in front of her in-laws would only mean the end of her good days. Ahmed did not look up because he knew what his transfer meant for both of them....
Read more

CHAPTER 2 - THE BACKSTORY - ALIZA

-
Image
  Aliza is the middle child of her family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. She did not always get her parents' attention because the oldest or the youngest sibling often stole it. She was mostly brought up by her oldest sister, Razia, who made sure she bathed, ate, and went to school on time. After Razia's marriage, her next older sibling Fahim brought home his wife, who had sworn to taunt Aliza all her life. Her younger twin siblings Samir and Ameera were at school, and they often stayed outdoors playing. So Aliza grew up to be the one taking care of her siblings while also managing to thrive herself. After finishing high school, she wanted to join college because her friends were also planning to, and they said studying in college will help a lot in the future. She was also the captain of her school's volleyball team and was a tough player. Aliza thought she could pursue her ambitions after school if she managed to convince her father. But her relatives had ...
Read more