Health is Wealth and Mental Health is the El Dorado

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Depression, the mere suggestion of the word causes one to shudder. The shuddering though is mostly limited to the Indian subcontinent, the West to the East have by and large accepted this mental health problem as a normality and have come up with a public health system that can tackle this fast spreading issue.

In India depression was seen as a western ‘Disease’ and a rich man’s problem, however in early 2004 alarm bells sounded ringing when studies found that almost 4 per cent of the population was suffering from depression and by 2016 almost 42 percent corporate employees were suffering from mental health issues and depression, infact one survey even went on to claim that almost 80 per cent bank employees on or above the age of 40 had suffered a heart attack as a result of stress.

For a country where the government estimates that 1 in 5 people in the country need counseling either psychiatric or psychological, India is alarmingly short on mental health doctors like psychiatrists and psychologists. Almost half of the people who suffer from mental health diseases don’t even seek treatment as most are not aware of the issue and since mental health is still called being “Crazy” many people shy away from seeking therapy due to the social stigma associated with it “What? You don’t need to see a shrink... you aren’t crazy’… if only people would have realized otherwise.

 Many people are not aware that they are going through depression and often develop anger and stress issues which often come out or rather burst out in various ways. Traffic short fuses and road rage incidents are the most coming occurrences in India and many people have lost their lives on the slightest of vehicular touches. Angry office outbursts are a common place in India and 1 in 2 people have been at the receiving end of a colleagues or boss’s outburst without probable provocation or incident. Domestic violence is also a result of repressed anger and depression which a person unassumingly lets out every now and then with drastic consequences. According to mental health workers repressed sadness accumulated over a period of time becomes chronic depression and repressed anger accumulated over a period of time becomes uncontrollable Rage. In layman terms you become a pressure cooker without a steam vent which either cries at the drop of a hat or bursts out all guns blazing.

The sum of all this is was a very bleak futures it was only when famous celebs, comedians and musicians alike came out in the open about their battle with Mental health issues that people started to take notice. Deepika Padukone, Tanmay Bhatt, the legendary Dilip Kumar, Ranveer Singh have all admitted to having battled mental health issues and how it is as important as physical health, it is the basis of one’s well being and it is high time India rose up and recognized the challenge that mental health poses to the country.

Many people who suffer from mental health issues often cannot say NO and end up assisting and helping others, ignoring their well being and thus end up frustrated and they find themselves lonely at a time when they need company the most.

Most Doctors agree that exercise can help beat depression or even the onset of it and exercising with friends who share your feelings and care for each other also helps people who are going through depression recover faster. Exercise helps release dopamine that relaxes the nerves and the brain and promotes a sense of calm and well being which is of the utmost importance for people going through any kind of mental trauma. Doctors however warn that overdoing exercise while going through a mental health condition can worsen it and one should listen to the body to prevent any further aggravation of the situation.

Laughter is the best medicine and doctors agree that having a jovial nature makes one have a positive outlook. Doctors recommend that watching comedy movies and shows or even attending laughter shows and stand up comedies does have a positive effect on ones mental health. It is also recommended that one join a laughter club and stay around people who have a humorous nature. The best recommendation is to be around people who listen to you as one might find letting out things therapeutic , talking out your issues is the best to lighten the heart and mind and goes a long way in healing issues.

If you do choose to exercise to beat the blues it is recommended that you choose a place close to your house as long distances act as a detriment towards motivation for exercise. If you are in heavy exercise please ensure that the Olympic Weight Lifting Barbell is of good quality. Also you should have an exercise partner or support group that pushes you to be a better version of yourself and helps you out emotionally as the first few days could see you facing resistance from your mind. The mind plays tricks during mental health issues and one has to ensure that they stay around folks even though the mind would want them to be a recluse, isolation does lead to depression and this has been established to be one of the main reasons for mental health issues through research.

One should also choose a place where they find the environment safe and comfortable. You should also gel with the coach lest you find yourself frustrated with the whole scenario. You should also make sure that the Fixed Barbells are not rusted and your gym is clean and follows hygiene standards. Unclean environments promote negative thoughts of disease and can make you swear off exercising even before you have begun. It is best that you ask for a few days of trial to acclimatize yourself with the surroundings and sounds of the body temple.