Personalities and Principles

 Yesterday I and my BH hired an auto to go to the mall.As we were passing by a long flyover I noticed that all the spans underneath were chock-full of two-wheelers,motorcycles mostly.I drew my husband's attention towards it but before he could even look at it our driver came out with a startling comment.He  blurted"Today people are killing themselves with sky-high aspirations.This generation is different from the older one; it has no respect or consideration  for human beings.Money is all that matters to them."

I was totally flabbergasted to hear these words coming from the mouth of a youngster-as well dressed and uptodate as any other youth we see around us.I could never have expected him to harbor such sentiments.The whole incident seemed  oxymoronic to us.

But upon thinking more about this incident I realized that people can have qualities which their looks or personalities do not portray.Then how fair is it to judge a human being after a single association?

But we are always doing it aren't we?Mostly it is quite fruitful. It tells us which one to befriend and which one to avoid. A kind of defence mechanism. But at the same time we should take care to prevent our prejudices from controlling us.What do you  think?

 

Pampering

 Pampering as we all know,implies taking excellent care of someone and providing all that he or she needs.No doubt it is a very kindly service.But take it a bit far and it could turn into cosseting or mollycoddling,which is inimical for the rcipient as well as the doer.But how and where to draw the line?

Newborn babies or infants do need to be pampered but as and when they can accomplish small tasks,the caretakers should recede accordingly.Rather they should encourage initiative and selfreliance in them.Undue pampering can make them lazy,arrogant and demanding.Cosseted children are unable to shoulder their responsibilities,make way for themselves or face failure when they grow up.

Like infants,the ill,old,feeble,or those traumatised also deserve to be pampered.But even they should be motivated to pick up the reins if and when possible.Unnecessarily waiting bound hand-and-foot on them will in fact make them more feeble and despondent.If they give up all efforts to look to their daily necessities they will also age more rapidly.

Excessive pampering is not only bad for the receiver but also for the doer.It makes them gullible and exposes them to exploitation too.Predators will soon spot them and dupe them to achieve their ends.

Being kind and compassionate is fine,but overdoing it is harmful for both parties.

This Surge in Mental Disorders, And How To Safeguard Yourself

Those were the days when life was simple,families large,bum-chums nearby and domiciles almost permanent.If one was worried about something there was always help at hand :if not in the form of parents,then friends and associates.But all this has been swept away with the sands of time.

Migration to new cities is the norm,aspirations are sky high and competition grim.Real time companions-especially the old tried and tested ones-are fewer,and loneliness is the last straw that sometimes breaks the camel's back.While tensions have rocketed enormously,those who could assuage our perturbed minds are few or far away.

No wonder #mentaldisorders are galloping all over.There is a greater need for support systems than there ever was.Since traditional support systems have dwindled we need to look at alternative sources of help-these are available in the form of psychologists,counselors,psychiatrists and on-line help.But how many of those who suffer from emotional or psychological problems make use of these services?

"NMHS 2015-16 reveals that nearly 15% of Indian adults (those above 18 years) are in need of active interventions for one or more mental health issues;".But few seek professional help if self-help measures fail to give respite.A major obstacle in the way of doing this of course is,stigma,the impression that mental patients are weak and incompetent,and they don't do enough to solve their problems.Since very few people talk of their psychological problems,every sufferer thinks that he or she is the rotten apple and they must not divulge it.This is how the stigma is born and perpetuated.

This kind of thinking prevents people from admitting to a mental disorder and seeking help.If their self help measures do not work, their condition worsens till psychiatric medicines are the only answer.I am not competent to discuss the efficacy or desirability of these medicines but I do believe that it is far better to seek help in the initial stages rather than having to depend upon medicines.This raises an important question-
When to seek help?
This is no doubt a difficult question.Transitory disappointments or griefs sometimes hit hard  but we manage to bounce up again after a certain period.The field of mental health is nebulous and ever changing-especially for mental patients.No two persons suffering from anxiety will have similar worries or fears.They may experience various levels of stress or tranquility even in the same day.
The thumb rule is to check yourself against the following parameters:--

1. Have you become quiet and asocial?
2. Do you feel sad and disinterested most of the time?
3. Do you neglect your daily routine?
4. Do you find it difficult to take decisions?
5. Are even simple tasks too laborious for you?
6. Do you have suicidal thoughts?
7. Do you have poor sleep or sleep too much?
8. Do you have poor appetite or eat too much?
9. Do you have gastric problems and sundry aches and pains?
10. Have you become angry and irritable?

If the answers to most of these questions are 'yes' and this has been going on for more than two months then it is time you took the help of a mental health professional.The choice is between a psychologist,counselor,general practitioner or a psychiatrist.The first two will assist you to think rationally about your problem and delve into to the causes of this imbroglio.You can open your heart to them.They will extend emotional support and also respect your privacy.If they think you need medicines to help you along,they will refer you to a doctor.If you are hesitant about consulting a psychiatrist then even a GP or a family doctor can be of immense help-as he was in my own case.

Suffice it to say that once you observe your daily life has changed drastically because of your mood swings,take immediate steps to improve your mental health and reclaim your life.There can be no health without mental health.

You may also like https://jeeteraho.blogspot.com/2019/02/your-self-help-guide-for-eliminating.html.

https://www.cchr.org/quick-facts/psychiatric-drugs-side-effects.html