WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY
The nine days of Navratri and the essence of Durga Puja drives a sense of pomp and pleasure in the hearts of millions
of Indians not just in the country but across hearts strewn globally as well.But a day which came and went within such
festivities is one which is like the slow cancer which metastasizes across cultures and boundaries across the globe.The
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY,10th October,2018 with a theme of “ Focussing on the mental well being of the young
and adolescent”
We as a society are brilliant at hiding things which makes us who we are.But is it an individualistic issue or does the
society trigger it as well?
When the last bencher in the class gets bullied about his/her interests in art or drama,the bigger culprit is the school.
When the “Laggard” in the class who fails to clear tests is ridiculed by teachers,it is the fault of that teacher who should
have known better.As Lord Krishna says and I quote:
“ There is nothing Lost or wasted in this Life” – Bhagavad Gita
With the first bud to the last leaf which falls,we celebrate every season.Material success is important but not
fundamental to living a happy and peaceful life.We live by others perception of us so much that we forget to live by
ourselves. Half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated. In terms of
the burden of the disease among adolescents, depression is the third leading cause of suicides across the world.
So what does it necessarily take to avoid such situations?
LISTEN MORE.TALK MORE.EMPATHISE MORE.
In the run for capturing clients and succeeding in the workplace,the fine line which separates us from what we project
ourselves to be and what we are deep inside,vanishes.But unfortunately that is just a measure of our failure as an
individual and not success.But since we are brilliant at justifying things,we might prove it otherwise too.Celebrities like
Deepika Padukone,Shah Rukh Khan and others have openly shared stories of depression .It is on us as to whether we
consider it to be a PR stunt or a genuine step.If it works into saving one life out of the thousands of suicides every
year,then how does it matter?
We've made enormous progress in the past 50 years in terms of physical health, and people now live well for longer.
But the next question is how people can live longer and be mentally well.
So as we light the lamps to drive out the darkness this Puja,let us all strive to drive out the darkness in the lives of
millions of people,adults,LGBTQIA(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or
allied),young adults and aged people by just observing more and empathising more who are pushing through everyday
to just live a normal life which mentally well conditioned people can easily call out to be “Monotonous”.
Awareness is the first step to prevention as the Government,thought leaders of the world such as Sheryl
Sandberg(Chief Operating Officer,Facebook) have already begun treating it as an equivalent to physical trauma,the
next step is acting on the same which is possible only when we agree that it exists.So this Puja lets pleddge to open
our mind and not just our eyes to see beyond what the human eyes perceive.Wishing all a very Happy Durga Pujo and
Navratri!May light be always on our side.
-Upasana Sarkar(Kirti Apartments)
D/O Dr.Anjan Sarkar