Every mind is precious
Mr A states: “My wife has insomnia, she sits up all night and is in tears by the morning.”
Mrs B says: “My son has anxiety attacks, he cannot complete any task, he hops from one job to another.”
Mrs C complains: “My husband sits alone and is moody with no wish to interact with the world.”
Mr. D anxiously reports: “My daughter keeps talking about suicide.”
For all these people there is a solution to their problems. They need to seek help, rush to a counsellor, to psychologists, psychiatrists and start therapy. But most people are reluctant to accept the fact that the human mind, just like the human body can fall sick. Many people feel that it is just a matter of time and that the ailing person will come to his or her senses or the teenager who speaks of suicide just has to get over the “phase”. They wait and hope for change but are not ready to accept help.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. It is a leading cause of disability, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.
If a woman was suffering due to diabetes, wouldn’t her husband rush her to a doctor? If a man had a throat infection wouldn’t his wife accompany him to a Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) specialist? If a little boy broke his leg wouldn’t his parents rush him to the Emergency Room? If a girl complained of hair loss the parent would immediately take an appointment with a dermatologist. Why are we always ready to accept the failings of our physical body while the trials of the human mind are ignored? Today a great deal has improved in people’s attitudes towards mental health and illnesses.
Even then, there is a certain social stigma attached to the issue. Families of patients tend to go into denial because they fear the label attached to mental disorders. This becomes a barrier for suffering individuals because he or she is now probably scared to approach a doctor for help.
This causes delay in the attention they need in order to recover. People who suffer from mental problems are often robbed of the opportunities that define a life of quality. Today many celebrities are opening up and disclosing their struggles with their fears and inner demons.
Thankfully, a lot of people are becoming aware of the struggles faced by people with anxiety, stress, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Let us reach out to those who suffer, break the barrier and the stigma and tell them that it’s okay. Every mind is precious.
The reader is based in Dubai.