“Therapy” a treatment to help or cure a mental or physical illness, usually without drugs or medical operations (Oxford dictionary), it can help you manage life's challenges and live a more fulfilled life, by just mere words and talking it out one can subside the raging storm of emotions inside them but still many find it too difficult, too embarrassing to open up to someone about their mental distress because we live in a society where unless the wound isn’t physically harming you, you must deal with it yourself.

“I felt like I was in a cage. Couldn’t think, couldn’t feel, couldn’t breathe”, said Siddhant. This is not only his story but of thousands of people who are suffering silently and are not asking for help. Society has created a stigma around therapy, associating it with being “insane” or “crazy”, because every time someone like Siddhant tried to ask for help there was always someone shunning him down.

“I remember telling my parents that I was feeling a lot of stress, it was to the point I was feeling mentally drained, I tried to give them a hint that I wanted to try Therapy but even that slightest clue made them look at me in disbelief,” said Siddhant.

This stigma surrounding Therapy has been around for a long time, the generation before ours was also made to believe that seeking help when in mental distress is “wrong” and it is not something one should get medically consulted for, normalizing such conduct is what has made Therapy to be something one should get ashamed of when in reality it should be given as much importance as when we suffer from physical distress, if not more.

Siddhant’s story lies amidst those many unheard stories across our youth population, silently enduring the hardships of life. Change is needed but it can’t be brought upon immediately, whether it’s to heal our mental health or to heal the mindset of society, it will only happen gradually yet change has to begin somewhere, therefore contrary to Siddhant’s story we have Arjun who was blessed with the support he needed from the very start.

“I was scared to be honest, even though I knew my parents were supportive I still felt hesitant while coming out to them about my mental health problem, but I’m really glad I did because if I wasn’t honest with them that day, I would’ve never known how helpful therapy is ”Arjun confessed, we often tend to stay closed up and avoid telling our problems to others, pent up emotions is what makes the basis of ailing mental health that is why it is extremely important to open and share what’s on our mind especially if it’s something that’s weighing on our mind.

Therapy is certainly the best way to deal with such pent-up emotions, but what about people like Siddhant who lost to those unrealistic expectations of society? Or people who simply can’t afford a therapist?

 The communication between a therapist and the person going through a difficult situation consists of trust, a non judgmental space, and unconditional positive regard. It is extremely important to surround ourselves with supportive people when dealing with mental health issues and so to help yourself it is not necessary to talk to only a therapist, you can talk to a friend, a family member, a teacher, or anyone else that you trust. In these situations it is very important to support your friends, children or family members like Arjun’s parents did or the situation might get worse for people like Siddhant who are dealing with it alone. Though it can be very difficult to find someone non-judgemental and trusting to whom you can open up but it is certainly not impossible however it can still be very challenging for some people so here are some suggestions one can implement when starting their journey of healing.

 Journaling

It is all about unpacking those pent-up emotions, so if not to a person blurt everything out on a paper!

Meditation/ yoga

When there is a raging storm of emotions clouding your mind it is very important to calm yourself down and what better way to do so than meditation or yoga which has scientifically proven itself to induce calmness and improve one’s mental state by promoting healthy habits in a lifestyle.

Focus on what you love!

Finding something you love automatically calms you down and puts you in a good mood. Whether it is some sort of activity like art, listening to music, or dancing or if it’s someone who puts you in a good mood when you’re around them like a good friend, your partner, or even your pet! It drastically affects your mental health if you surround yourself with things or people you love.

Taking care of your mental health from the very start is the best possible way to go but even if you start today it is completely fine! Or as they say “better late than never”.

And so to sum up today’s blog, END THE STIGMA! and educate yourself, because to live a fulfilling life it is not only important to have a healthy body but a healthy mind as well.

For people suffering from serious mental health issues, here are some free counseling helplines

1. ICALL

ICALL is a psychosocial helpline for individuals in emotional and psychological distress. They provide professional and free counseling through technology-assisted mediums such as telephone, email, and chat to anyone in need of emotional support, irrespective of age, gender, sexual orientation, or race, and transcending geographical distances while ensuring confidentiality.

Helpline number:  022-25521111, +91-9152987821

2.  PARIVARTHAN

Parivarthan Counselling, Training and Research Centre is a registered, non-profit society that provides multimodal services in the field of mental health(www.parivarthan.org). The Helpline is serviced by trained, professional counselors who are committed to rigorously ethical practice and who respect the confidentiality of the callers.

Helpline number: +91-7676602602