The year that was 2020

 
2020 began as a usual year for me, no drumrolls, no fanfare. The usual lonely New year, the usual academic year-end for the young one, and a brief family trip to Nainital thrown in February to get away from the monotony.

We returned and all hell broke loose in Delhi with the Delhi riots and then in a few weeks, Corona hit the scene. By mid-March, there were whispers of the government deciding something big- it came on March 23rd, one day long Janta Curfew and then....a word I had heard bit never imagined could be so heavy LOCKDOWN. 

The other day watching UNPAUSED on Amazon prime I was reminiscing the life that changed on that fateful morning. 

The stories in the films are my stories in patches, I am sure some of the snippets are your stories too. I haven't written much in the last year, yes I did attend webinars and webinars and upgrade all my skills, make myself useful to whatever social work or activism was possible online, and yes SURVIVE along with writing one book and translating THREE!

I don't know any longer what is normal, the one that was or this new normal? Will life be ever the same? This has certainly been a long road through mental health struggle and resilience, logistic difficulties and survival.

I wonder. 

I am beginning to forget who I was.

Festival Season and Depression

Depression tends to increase during the festival season due to an increase in demands (perceived as stressful), family issues, and being unable to manage expectations. The increased demands on our time, energy, patience, and flexibility can take a toll.

For those already managing depression who may already be struggling with symptoms of fatigue, irritability, sadness, and feeling unable to cope with change or additional stress, the result of all the additional stress of the holidays can be simply feeling unable to meet those expectations, which can, unfortunately, lead to increased feelings of depression.

A common symptom of depression is anhedonia or the loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities or the inability to experience any kind of pleasure.

The festive season is a busy time when normal routines are often interrupted. There are many behaviors and situations which may cause stress and/or depression at this time of year.

The festive season is a period of over-indulgence and the combination of too much food and generally poor nutrition can have a negative impact on an individual’s mood.

The materialistic nature of society is thought to contribute to depression in general, and in the festive season, there is considerable pressure to buy luxuries, which causes financial strain for many.

Festive family gatherings are, at least according to expectations, a time for sharing love and joy. In reality, they often mean extra work and can be a time of conflict. Conflict with family members can cause stress and contribute to depression.

The festive season is unlikely to be perfect or stress-free. Coping with the stress of festivities can be easier if you approach them with realistic expectations.

Whatever events arise and cause stress in the festive season, remember that it is just one short period.

Seek help if and when needed.

This post is part of #CauseAChatter via Blogchatter.

Anxiety: A Book Review

 Title:  Anxiety: Overcome It and Live without Fear

Author: Sonali Gupta 

Format: Kindle and Paperback

Pages:256

Publisher: Harper Collins India

The book strikes you with its white cover and opens with an insightful foreword by renowned Indian Writer Jerry Pinto who has earlier edited and curated an anthology of mental health stories titled Book of Light. His understanding of this sensitive issue certainly stands out and the foreword in itself seems like an essay on mental health that has been written with elan and poise. When he says, "You have a right to be anxious.We all are.", it sets the tone of the book as a conversation about mental health rather than a preachy sermon.

The author Sonali Gupta is a Mumbai-based clinical psychologist with16 years of experience in the field of mental health. She writes a weekly column for Mumbai Mirror titled 'Terms of Engagement'. She currently runs a private practice in Khar and South Bombay.

On her website she says about the book:

Anxiety is a mental health crisis that has gripped over three crore Indians. In my debut book Anxiety: Overcome It and Live Without Fear, I delve into the condition, using case studies to identify how anxiety can be triggered at work, in relationships, and by social media. I have attempted to share a unique glimpse into this mental health condition in India, especially among Gen Z and millennials. 

Gupta lives up to what is promised by the book successfully and brings the mental health conversation to an Indian context. The book is about routine issues of an average Indian and how that is related to anxiety and also has a lot of tips and methodologies about how to deal with them. Hence the book becomes not just a book but a kind of WORKBOOK with ample DIY activities that help in self-care and self-analysis along with an entire last section dedicated to managing anxiety. The book is interactive with its readers and has columns to write things as you go. This not only makes it fun but also helps the reader to understand his/her own unique issues better.


In an interview with Women's Web the author says:

“The problem with anxiety is that it’s so normalised that people don’t talk about it. Just because something is normalised doesn’t mean it is okay that people have to live through it. It is a problem we need to address it at a systemic level.” 

In the book she speaks about not just anxiety but other related issues like BURNOUT saying:

“Most millennials who start jobs by age twenty-one reach their first burnout when they are about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. Their second burnout is generally between age twenty-nine and thirty-years. This is usually the time when most people reach out for help and almost believe in its legitimacy since they now feel that a decade of work has taken a toll on them.” 

The tone is crisp and the material absolutely well-researched and supported with loved experiences and professional observations. 

Definitely a must-read for any Indian who has any interest in understanding mental health better.

This post is part of #Bookchatter  and #CauseAChatter with Blogchatter.

#SuicideGuidelines #CauseAChatter

 

September is celebrated as #SuicideAwareness month and #SuicidePrevention Month world over. September 10th has been designated as World Suicide Prevention Day and yet the lack of awareness about language and sensitivity related to suicides is appalling in India.
The commonest word we still use "commit" which indicated suicide is a crime just like theft or murder. The appropriate and sensitive tern to use is "died by suicide" or death by suicide.
Several agencies have time and again issued guidelines.
Some crucial points to remember are 
1. Don’t promote suicide stories by placing them in the front pages of the newspaper or as a lead item for broadcast media.
2. Don’t give details about the method or location of any suicide death or attempt.
3. Suicide notes, text messages, social media posts, and emails of the deceased person and/ or their family members should not be published.
4. Don’t speculate. Verify your facts from multiple sources when the reasons for a suicide death or attempt are not immediately clear.
5. Don’t reveal personal details about family members, the deceased person, or any person who has attempted suicide without their informed consent.
6. Don’t write of suicide deaths/attempts as horrific, unfortunate events. Open up your story by focusing on the celebrity’s life and their contribution to society.
7. Suicide is a largely preventable public health problem. There are several counselling services and helplines working across the country for this cause. Include these resources in your story/report.

In India if you or someone else is at risk of suicide or having mental distress please call 1800 599 0019

This post is part of #CauseAChatter at Blogchatter.

Loneliness: The Other Epidemic (Mental Health)

You're busy: You work from home, you exercise, you manage your household chores and you now meet friends over video calls. Life seems all sorted, you seem to have learned the "newnormal" well, but is it so?


More and more people are experiencing the dark looming shadow of loneliness.


People who are lonely are up to 32% more likely to die early than their more connected peers, research shows.


Do you know loneliness ranks high up there with dangerous health outcomes of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity in terms of its long-term effects on your health?


Under normal circumstances, loneliness would be something we have some degree of control over, but the COVID-19 pandemic is making us feel as if we have little control over our lives and our feelings of isolation.


Previous research into this area has shown that strong social ties may protect people from emotional distress, cognitive decline, and physical disability, while loneliness and social isolation can cause harm to physical and psychological wellbeing. Both loneliness and social isolation have been strongly associated with poorer quality of life and other measures of well-being.


In a survey of 20,000 Americans, nearly half reported always or sometimes feeling lonely or left out. Young adults ages 18 to 22 are the loneliest generation of all, the survey found. It could be as simple as having people around who encourage you to make healthy choices, such as keeping doctor's appointments, eating right, and taking medications. Or, chronic loneliness could be a recipe for chronic stress, which in turn wreaks havoc on your health.


The late Dr. John Cacioppo, a psychology professor at the University of Chicago, studied the effects of loneliness for two decades before his passing in 2018. He equated loneliness with a type of hunger, noting that establishing social connections is essential for human survival. He also believed that chronic loneliness can increase the incidence of early death.


Seek out if you are lonely.
Try to reduce someone's loneliness.

This post is a part of Blogchatter #CauseAChatter Campaign.

Empathetic Active Listening (Mental Health)

Communication consists of verbal (words and their meanings) and - nonverbal parts. 

Words play a much smaller role than we think. Personal example plays a much more important role. (Words are generally considered to form about 7 to 10% of communication, voice (tone, loudness) 30 to 38% and the greatest deal, 55 to 60%, is body language (nonverbal communication) = what we do and what we are.)

Levels of Active Listening 

1) Ignoring 

2) Pretending

3) Listening Selectively 

4) Listening Carefully

5) Listening Empathically 

Empathic listening is the highest form of listening. We empathize with the feelings and thoughts of the other party by which we create a positive psychological climate. If we've created such a climate contrasts between words and feelings disappear; people express themselves openly and honestly. 

Steps to Empathy How to learn it? 

Step by step: 

1) Listen carefully and time to time use the other party's words to repeat what has been said. 

2) Express what has been said by your own words giving feedback on how you've understood. 

3) Try to reflect the partner's feelings (what you think the heard has evoked in him or her). 4) Occasionally make a summary of the essence of what has been said. Also express feelings, which it has evoked, and importance for the partner.

This post is a part of Blogchatter #CauseAChatter Campaign.

Ways to support someone with Suicidal Thoughts

CONTENT WARNING: The following write up mentions suicide and self-harm.





Along with a plethora of peripheral issues that the coronavirus pandemic has spilled on the world, one is the mental health crisis. In conventional societies like India that do not have either enough mental health care systems and largely see "suicide" from a moral or religious lens, suicide prevention remains a huge grey area.

In this scenario the role of peer intervention and friends and family offering initial psychological first aid is crucial. So here are a few pointers as to how to intervene when a near one indicates "self-harm" or "suicidal" ideation.



1. Be an Active Listener
Don't offer quick fixes. Often a person in such extreme stress wants just to be heard and their pain acknowledged. A listener can mitigate a lot of such extreme situations by being attentive.


2. Trust their feelings and take them seriously
When someone confides such feelings in you, do not dismiss these as empty threats and label them as "emotional drama". Take these disclosures seriously and seek help and support to help them.

3. Don't panic, stay calm.
Someone already in distress can be further triggered if someone they confided in acts anxious or shaken. If you cannot handle these feelings seek further emergency or professional help and stay by them till that arrives.

4. Ask the person, what they need
Sometimes they would just want some company or want you to get them professional help, or want to speak to their family/friends for them. This also shows your keen interest in their wellbeing and might also offer a pause to their suicidal thoughts.

5. Find Support for yourself
Being a caregiver here is stressful so find a friend or therapist to talk about what comes up for you, so you don’t get burnt-out and your care comes from a place of self-care as well as care for the other person.




This post is a part of Blogchatter #CauseAChatter Campaign.

HEROES OF KINDNESS - Book Review and Interview

Cover courtesy: Author/Blogchatter

As the name suggests Roshan Radhakrishnan's HEROES OF KINDNESS is a book about Kindness. In the middle of a global pandemic, it is the kind of book that one would like to read for hope in humanity and the future.


I have been introduced to this series he has done for years on his blog now, the conversion into a book is only a next and welcome change to offer 50 curated stories from the blog that have personally influenced the author as well as made him receive widespread reactions from across the world.


The book has a well-worded foreword and an origin story that describes the process of these stories and the book and how they came to be.


The bright Fuschia cover spells happiness and joy and the 59 pages make it an easy/light read. The language of the book is a clear window into the writing skills of an acclaimed blogger and thus makes an instant connection with the reader.


The author says:

"What do I hope you gain from this book? An altered perspective. A belief that The World is Not a Bad Place. In this book, I am showcasing 50 acts of kindness and compassion from across the world. There are thousands of heroes like these all around you. I need you to remember that whenever you feel low."

The book lives up to this claim sufficiently.

The stories cover a wide range from gender identity issues to disability to fatal diseases and social stigma.

A book like this in these times is a harbinger of hope and goodness, and I found it only befitting to dig deeper and find more insights about it via the author himself.


Roshan kindly agreed for an email interview and added to my love for this book as a reviewer and reader immensely with his candid and honest responses.



HERE IS A BRIEF email INTERVIEW with the author

Pic courtesy: Roshan

1. What is your definition of kindness?

Kindness used to be just about being generous. Today, from where I see it, it is an act of strength. It is so much easier to ignore those suffering around you and go with the masses, leaving the weak to fend for themselves. It takes true strength to go against the grain and make a positive difference today. 

2. How is your profession as a doctor contributed to this quest of finding kindness and documenting it?

In some ways, it has actually made it harder! Time restraints and work pressure often tend to get in the way of my hunt for finding heroes as well as seeking them out and interviewing them. On the flip side, my profession is one where you do see pain and suffering every day. You see the darkness. The need to find light under such circumstances can find many outlets. For me, seeking good people seemed logical. 

3. What were one/some life-changing experiences while compiling these stories over the years?

I remember the first time I wrote about kindness. It was a huge photo montage of sorts, 50 images of kindness in a single article. I was previewing it and by the time the last image appeared, I had tears in my eyes. That is neither an exaggeration nor is it common for someone like me who is used to the sight of pain, blood, and broken bones. This was years before I wrote Heroes of Kindness but it struck me that night how powerful an avalanche of kindness can be.

For me, there have been quite a few. There was a 12 year old boy who used to prepare bags of food and then go distribute it to the homeless in Cambridge. I had the pleasure of interviewing him. I remember shortly after that article was published, former students of mine did the same here in India. The magic of that - a child in America inspiring grown-up doctors in India in India to be kind.

This is something that I've pointed out in my book's "Origin Story" chapter - because I seek out and befriend these heroes in real life, my timeline on social media (barring the war zone called Twitter!) is always filled with positivity. Their kindness extends to every aspect of their life, as I always knew it would. 

4. Which are your 3 most favorite stories and why? Tell briefly.

One would have to be Heather's story. The 25-year-old was dying from Stage 4 liver cancer. A random stranger read her story, got himself tested, and ended up being a match. He gave her his liver. Somewhere along the way, I guess he slipped her his heart too. They are happily married today & their story is an actual Hallmark movie. I was happy to be a part of it, helping her surprise him by interviewing her and then pleading with bloggers to comment. By the time her husband saw it (as part of their six-month anniversary present), there were nearly 100 comments of love for him from India! 

Another one would be the two college students who felt they looked like the Princesses from the animated movie Frozen while watching the movie. They used their resemblance to dress up as the Princesses and visit pediatric hospitals to cheer up children. Sounds cute, right? Well, it inspired a whole generation of students. Today, they are a foundation called A Moment of Magic that has visited over 10,000 children across America. Imagine that.

Chef Bruno Serato's story is special for a personal reason too. Working in a high-class restaurant, the man who came from an impoverished background would give away over a million free meals to impoverished children. When tragedy struck and his restaurant burned down, the news captured him crying as he watched it burn... his main worry was how would he feed the children! The community responded with donations pouring in and even competing restaurants offering their workplace and staff for him to continue cooking for the kids.

It took over a year but the White House of Anaheim restaurant has reopened again. This story is personal for me because I received an honorary award in journalism following an international competition for my take on this story.

5. In the ongoing pandemic, we have seen a lot of apathy too, what is your message to people via your ebook?

It is the very theme of this book. To get rid of the suffering, negativity, and apathy all around you. Choose to be kind. The people you read about in this book are not famous celebrities (though they should be!) They are normal people - nurses, coffee-shop waitresses, teachers, doctors, nurses, students. Do you get it? They are you. You don't need to seek out Heroes of Kindness. You can become a Hero of Kindness yourself during these difficult times. A simple act that stems from empathy. That is all that is needed.

Roshan can be reached out here on Facebook 

BOLLY TALKIES: Book review

Book Cover: Author's Copyright

“India has two religions- Bollywood and Cricket”

Archana Srivastav’s BOLLY TALKIES has recently been released in the #BlogchatterEbookCarnival by Blogchatter with other 62 amazing books. Non-fiction and especially Bollywood has been a popular genre in India of late, the audience/readers always look forward to knowing more about film, characters and the people who play these characters in these films.

Bollywood is definitely a magical realm where everything becomes larger than life as if by some magic. , even life itself! The out of this world heroines, the superhero-like heroes, the legendary villains all have played a role in establishing Bollywood as the “Baap” of entertainment in India. Though sometimes it does perpetuate stereotypes, and on other occasions, it dares to break them as well.

Archana is an MBA Graduate, Former HR Professional, Former Management Faculty, she thoroughly enjoyed her working career till 2015, after which she took a break from working, but her love and enthusiasm for Hindi films is evident in each chapter of the book.

Archana says in the blurb –

“The book is an assortment of a list of famous Bollywood movies. There are twenty-six chapters in this book, the names will either be of a character from the movie, the movie, or a collection of similar characters.”

While some chapters are dedicated to one character in one film several others have references to more than one like the one about friendships in films. The highlight of each chapter is not the brief synopsis of the plot or the character but the second half where the author speaks about the lessons learned from the film, the takeaways, and the eye-opener points. These reflect on a variety of themes from life lessons to parenting, about character building, relationship advice, and more, making the format innovative and engaging for the reader.

The language is easy and every day with a solid peppering of Hinglish and quotes from Bollywood. Some chapters like “XTRA Dose Of Laughter” and “Second Inning Of YESTER YEAR'S Actors” are a surprise as they compile the punch of a lot of legendary characters/actors and films into one.

The author walks us through films and characters that, in her opinion, have been game-changers in some way. The reader might have different opinions about these and might not consider these as the best films or characters but they made an impact and changed mainstream cinema in some manner. They influenced viewers, perceptions about common beliefs but also how filmmakers and film-making practices have evolved.

This book provides an insightful tour of the glamour and variety of Indian cinema along with profiles of characters, insights into subjects, some lesser-known facts, and how each of these became path-breaking.

The book is for all Bollywood enthusiasts and even those who want a peek into what makes Bollywood such a dominant sub-text in who we are as a society and a country. It is a light-read suitable for all age-groups above pre-teens and gives enough food for thought about films as a change-making art form.

The author can be reached at archana.sahay9@gmail.com

Toxic Friendships during Pandemic #MentalHealth

Our friends are supposed to be our well-wishers standing by us no matter what. However, they can also be our worst enemies reveals a recent poll that looks at toxic friendship. According to the poll eight in ten of us put up with people who cause more harm than good. While a recent survey indicates that 84 percent of women struggle with so-called ‘toxic friends’ who are self-absorbed, emotionally draining, critical, or backstabbing. Sixty-five percent of those polled complained of having a self-obsessed friend, and 59 per-cent accused their closest acquaintances of being emotional ‘vampires’ — draining all their energy reserves.


The poll, of 18,000 women and 4,000 men by an international magazine found just over half had an over-critical friend, while 45 percent reported backstabbing behavior and barbed comments. Though a third admitted that they would end a friendship with someone who was untrustworthy, 83 percent said that they had let a friendship drag on longer than it should have done because the prospect of ‘breaking up’ was too daunting. Instead, 37 percent blocked those they didn’t like on a social networking site, while 53 ‘downgraded’ friends from people they saw regularly to just occasionally.

Social Distancing and Toxic Friendships


This period of social distancing may increase our loneliness, but it’s really only exacerbating a problem that’s been building for years. Five toxic friend personality types -

• Self-absorbed
• Emotional vampires
• Over-critical
• Backstabbing
• Unreliable

5 signs someone is toxic on Social Media:



●︎ You feel anxious or sad when you see their posts.

●︎ You find yourself playing the comparison game. And ultimately putting yourself down for not being as successful, as attractive, as fit, as bold, etc.

●︎ You’re only following the person in order to “stalk” or keep up with their life. Like a past friend or an ex-significant other or friends of an ex.

●︎ You find yourself starting to avoid or continue scrolling when you see their handle pop up in your feed.

●︎ Their posts appear to be negative or hostile. Especially if it seems like their thoughts/posts demonstrate all-or-nothing or black and white thinking.


The key is knowing that you are in control of the content you see, and it’s OK to make changes that benefit your personal wellbeing.

This post is part of Blogchatter #CauseAChatter

Blogchatter E-Book Carnival- Mentor Calling!

Last year was my 5th consecutive year at the AtoZ blogging challenge, I partnered with Blogchatter whose various activities and support throughout April and beyond made it a unique experience and I was motivated to convert these posts into my first e-book.


The book is now available at Kindle HERE

It was a topic close to my heart and the book has been featured at various other addresses like at SheThePeopleTV HERE

In 2020 Blogchatter is back with their E-Book Carnival, my experience with them was absolutely worth a mention as I received various kinds of support at all stages and having a peer community there with first-time e-book authors like me back then and experienced ones it was a unique camaraderie of shared knowledge and resources.

This is what motivated me to agree to be a mentor this year with Blogchatter and pass the lessons and the kindness on, though I did not attempt the AtoZ challenge this year due to some personal challenges and the pandemic.

An important aspect is that as a new author you get lot of readers right there in the community and reviewers too, also mentors like me can assist in overcoming hurdles if any.

For more details, you can check out the FAQs, check mentor profiles at the LINK below, but first of all, go and register yourself for the e-book carnival, we at the Blogchatter community have your back!

Good luck!

REGISTER FOR BLOGCHATTER E-BOOK CARNIVAL 2020

Cycle of Worry during the Pandemic #MentalHealth

We humans are creatures of habit, it’s what makes us feel secure. When everything that was normal becomes turned on its ear, we invariably become unsettled… anxious.


Whatever was not going right in your life emotionally before the pandemic is probably being magnified and showcased for you right now.


This pandemic is shining a spotlight on our inner selves. Your eyes can now see, in high-def living color, what’s been missing, what’s been disjointed, what’s been problematic in your life, maybe even for a long time.


Worrying is insecurity’s major delivery system. Insecurity and worry are joined at the hip. When we feel out of control and vulnerable, we want to do something to regain a sense of control. This tendency to want to be in control is baked into our DNA — humans hate, absolutely loathe, being out of control. Now, finding ourselves confronted with this pandemic, our imaginations have become a blank screen on which to project our deepest worries and fears.

3 Ways the Pandemic Shines a Light on Your Issues 

• Being locked away with your closest people highlights whatever problems exist in your relationships with those people. For example, have you been angry with your spouse for a long time? You’re likely to notice it more now.
• Being prevented from engaging in your external life makes you either miss it or be happy to be away from it. Which is it for you? What does this say about how you have been living your life?
• Having far fewer external distractions leaves you sitting with your inner self. Your body may have been trying to send you messages for some time (maybe even years) and you have been too busy, too distracted, too externally focused, or too tired to notice. Now you can pay attention. What are they? What do they mean?

Take your life back from insecurity and worry

• Beginning today, differentiate between facts and emotional fictions if it takes place anytime but at the moment, it’s a fiction.
• Recognize that you are not your insecurity. Insecurity is a long-standing habit.
• An active mind can insist on more healthy thinking.
• Try distractions like watching TV (not the news) or reading a great book, exercise, getting outside, immersing yourself in a hobby. Or simply employ a mantra telling yourself, “Stop it! Drop it!”

This post is part of Blogchatter #CauseAChatter

Mental Health Tips During COVID19

Since January when the World Health Organization (WHO) determined the outbreak of COVID-19, to be a “public health emergency of international concern”, stress levels and mental health crises everywhere have continued to mount.

The WHO makes the following suggestions-

1. Not to stigmatize anyone who has or had the virus. 

2. Seek information updates from trusted sources only and at set times once or twice a day.

3. Get the facts; not the rumors and misinformation. Limit social media usage if need be.

4. Help others by phoning neighbors or community members who may need some extra assistance. 

5. Self-care is important.

6. Clearly define what you can control, work on that, don't focus on what you can't.

7. Try to stay physically active, mild exercise indoors.

8. Breathing exercises are good for everyone.

9. Do not indulge in addictive substances.

10. Try to volunteer or helo in any way the organizations working on this.

This post is part of #CauseAChatter at Blogchatter.

Mental Health and Trauma implications of Delhi Riots

5 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH #CauseAChatter

1. You can just snap out of Depression or Anxiety.

FACT - Not that is not true. The human mind is a complex neurological organ and in addition, there are hormones, physical health factors and outside factors like relationship and socio-economic stress that can lead to a mental health crisis. It is not something one can snap out off one morning suddenly. a survivor might feel absolutely helpless while the mind is almost on auto-pilot through depression or anxiety. Survivors need support and assistance and more importantly care and compassion.

2. Mental health conditions aren't real.

FACT- The human brain is an organ, so it can dysfunction just like our lungs or our heart can. If a person is under extreme or prolonged psychological stress they can reach a mental health crisis, similarly just like so many physical illnesses and pain mental health issues can have completely inexplicable origins but they are real and painful.

3. Mentally ill people are dangerous and violent.

The commonest perception attached to those surviving a mental health issue is that they can harm themself or attack someone for no reason. People begin to believe it is unsafe to be around them. The fact is that some patients might feel threatened and might attack in self-defense or sometimes might get violent but all survivors are not violent.

4.Mental illness is a sign of weakness in character. 

This is one accusation often thrown at people who face a mental health crisis. people tell the survivor that those with strong will power can overcome depression, combat phobia, fight anxiety. However, this is untrue and often people also fall into addiction like alcohol, nicotine and other substance of abuse. A mental health situation is certainly out of the scope of merely a strong will power, however, it can assist in the recovery process.

5. The symptoms of mental health conditions are all emotion-related.

Mental health conditions are not just emotional. It's usually a mixture of both emotional and physical discomfort. Depression or anxiety manifests in a lot of physical discomforts, including aches and pains, sleeping too much or too little, and extreme lethargy. 

This #MentalHealthAwareness post is in collaboration with Blogchatter's Blogging with a Purpose . If you are a blogger and want to join your voice for a cause close to your heart, do look up.

Mental Health: Blogging with a Purpose #CauseAChatter

 I live in a society where "mad" is still abuse, "mentally challenged" is conveniently used for criminals, murderers and rapists and mental health thus stands stigmatized.

Being a survivor and an activist I have witnessed this invisibility of mental health in the social discourse around me and the resulting insensitivity about both the survivors and their caregivers is appalling.

I am also a Psychological First Aid practitioner and in my practice, have come across so many people completely unaware of even basics of mental health here.

I also wrote an e-book Mental Health: A Primer with the same purpose. 

Still, I feel a lot of people are unaware of so much about mental health around me that more and more needs to be written, so I will be writing about mental health all this year for this campaign and if time and energy allows also doing Hindi translations/paraphrase of the same on my Hindi blog too.

This post is in collaboration with Blogchatter's Blogging with a Purpose  . If you are a blogger and want to join your voice for a cause close to your heart, do lookup.

Diary of a Blog #DecadeHop

This post got a special mention here

2010

Life is a toddler tantrum
she is a blog and a human new-mom
doesn't know the difference between a RAM and a ROM
I am worried how she will manage me @ dot com

2011

Our poems now travel around the world
Displayed now in a cafe in Canada I am told
we are now confident and bold
the baby and I are school-age old

2012

Now we are also the published word you see
There's fame and the rat-rice thingy
We are now sturdy three
Mom writes too much and doesn't let me be 

2013


We begin getting prizes and awards
hard work has its own r-e-w-a-r-d-s
mom seems to get a hang of it seems
we have a HINDI sibling now for the record

2014


We are now branching out to other addresses
feels very good to touch new bases
mom looks at the world now with new glasses
a blog is not just a diary and has more uses

2015


A challenge in this journey, next milestone
we have come a long way on our own
sometimes the words don't easily come by
but we are ready for the unknown

2016
We have become now revolutionary
we have extended every boundary
a voice strong and feisty
we move on with our lessons, wisely

2017

Younger sibling is five now
Parshv Swar is her name!
We are now much more than hobbies
filling our mom's mantel with trophies!

2018

5 years at AtoZ and now it becomes a book

Mummy is on some awesome lists

advocacy and activism our new tools

we are a voice you can't overlook

Pic courtesy: Women's Web

2019

at the beginning of an end

or an end of a beginning 

Are we still new and fresh

or time for the second inning?

2020 

This year we begin a new decade and many of you have walked this journey with us if you think you really know us take this Quiz

Correct answers shall be revealed after this bloghop.



“This post is a part of ‘DECADE Blog Hop’ #DecadeHop organised by #RRxMM Rashi Roy and Manas Mukul. The Event is sponsored by Glo and co-sponsored by Beyond The Box, Wedding Clap, The Colaba Store and Sanity Daily n association with authors Piyusha Vir and Richa S Mukherjee”