Mental Health and Wellbeing

Vijay Nallawala, has been living with bipolar disorder for 42 years and runs a peer support group. Here he takes us through his journey of mental and physical recovery that could be an inspiration to others affected by similar conditions. When a person affected by bipolar disorder asks his psychiatrist about the prognosis of this mental health disorder, the typical answer one gets is: 'Although bipolar disorder has no cure, it can be managed with medication and therapy.' Coming to terms with my…

Males suffering from depression have an increased vulnerability to dying by suicide. Clinical psychologist Smriti Sawhney advices it is important to seek professional help and lists out tips to alleviate depression. Boys are not supposed to cry. And, if you cry you are weak. And, being emotional is so ‘girly’. Most boys tend to hear these and other similar statements during their growing up years. Internalising such statements can make it difficult later on for men to express or share their…

Trveen Dhillon reviews Gayathri Prabhu’s intensely personal memoir of her conflicted relationship with her father who had depression ‘if i had to tell it again’ and relates to her own experience as a caregiver to her father. Gayathri Prabhu’s ‘if i had to tell it again’ is a memoir about two beings who greatly influenced her life and continue to do so even after their passing - her father, SGM Prabhu, who refused to accept or name his illness (clinical depression), and Chinna, a beautiful…

And how you can help. Clinical Psychologist H'vovi Bhagwawar has put together a guide on teen self harm and how parents can help their children. This is based on her experience of counselling teenagers. #WorldMentalHealthDay Myra, a bright Std 11 student, had begun withdrawing from her parents and friends. When she insisted on wearing long-sleeved outfits in the humid heat of Mumbai, her mother suspected something. Myra then showed her mother the cuts on her wrists. Her mother was at first…

Dr Ankit Patel, a Pune based psychiatrist, who himself has dealt with depression, says his mission now is to educate people about mental illness and reduce the stigma associated with it. According to World Health Organization 56 million people suffer from depression and another 38 million people suffer from anxiety disorders in India. Which would you classify as the 5 most common psychiatric disorders? Depression Generalised Anxiety Disorder OCD Panic Disorder Schizophrenia/ Psychosis Are…

Delhi hosted a Mental Health Festival recently which was a convergence of ideas and therapeutic activities related to mental health issues. Moyna Sen takes a look at the 2-day interactive session.  Two Mental Health Initiatives, The Red Door, Pune, and Bhor Foundation, New Delhi put together an interesting mix of events for a Mental Health Festival titled Merchants of Madness in Hauz Khas, Delhi, on 1st and 2nd September. The festival aimed to start a conversation on mental health between…

When R had suicidal thoughts and a feeling of hopelessness, she finally sought help and was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety disorder. Read on to find out how she coped with her illness and how it relates to chronic pain due to migraines and sinus. I am 39 years old and academically trained as an engineer. I lost my mom at a very young age. My childhood consists of first few years in USA and then later on in India.  I was diagnosed with severe depression along with anxiety…

And ways you can help someone dealing with Post Traumatic Stress. By H'vovi Bhagwagar, a Clinical Psychologist specialising in trauma therapy. 1.   Are some groups of people more prone to stress and anxiety after a disaster like floods? People with a current ongoing stressor (divorce, death, financial loss) etc People with past history of trauma (childhood trauma, survivors of previous accidents/riots/sexual assaults etc) People with previous history of mental illness or current…

Dr Neena David, a Clinical Psychologist, emphasises the importance of developing positive coping skills, a sense of resilience and a growth mindset among adolescents and teenagers as they have long term positive mental health outcomes and stave off suicidal tendencies. You have many years of experience in setting up processes for school mental health programmes. What changes did you need to bring about in your programmes over the years? I am not sure I understand this question- ‘your programmes…

...Life is precious - life is worth living."  reminds Yen-Lu Chow. When their son and only child Lawrence Chow ended his own life at the age of 26 after suffering for many years from manic depression, Yen-Lu Chow and his wife Yee Ling went beyond grieving and coping with the tragedy. They involved themselves in mental health initiatives in Singapore which have, in turn, given them a purpose in their lives. Tell us about your mental health initiatives in Singapore. Mental wellness is not…