World Mental Health Day: An opening to address suicidal issues

PC THOMAS

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10th October every year, with the key objective of raising awareness of mental health issues surrounding the people and organizing endeavors in support of mental health across world. In the light of multiple mental health issues, quite relevantly the number of people thinking about suicide or doing self-sacrifice has risen dramatically in the Indian context. It attributes reasons such as diseases, love affairs, divorce, marriage failures, extra-marital affairs or any other issues with the people, play a crucial role mainly in the suicide of people in India. Sexually abused suicide attempters have also risen dramatically in state to state level, partially in the lockdown period.

Mental issues in children are on the rise in recent time.  Every year after the Board examination we hear about students who are ending their lives because they feel they are unable to live up to the expectation of their families.  Lockdown triggered emotional strain among children as they are not getting to close together with their peers at school which remain closed in the wake of the pandemic.

On the arrival of Covid-19, the mental and substance use disorders have increased by over 50% in the past 25 years. Suicides are rampant everywhere because anxiety levels are very high in most cases. However, all these incidents help us understand that every suicide is tragic and is recognized as a mental health, public or social issues in almost every country and it needs to be addressed.

Also Read: searching-suicidal-behavior-in-children

While searching common causes of suicide, a few things are definitely clear and need minimum explanation. All suicides are based on mental imbalance or a weep for help. All suicides are mostly planned and well-contemplated as well as connected to a reason that remains unexplained in most cases. There can’t be a fixed reason rather there are a number of factors that contribute to the fatal act.

The question of debate arises in the midst of suicide cases is that how we would deal with the situation?  Why is mental imbalance still a taboo in our society? Why depression, which could be indicative of suicidal behavior, is not taken seriously? And lastly, why caste, gender, social status or popularity are the criteria for labelling or judging someone’s suicide?.

Also Read- keep-mental-health-while-social-distancing

This year’s World Mental Health Day comes at a time when our day by day lives have changed considerably because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are several challenges facing now as a large number of peoples are trapped in difficulties in different sectors with limited protection from COVID-19. For skilled laborers whose livelihoods are threatened. A good percentage of workforce in Indian companies suffer from some or the other form of stress.  Students, adjusting themselves with emotional well-being conditions, encounter much more social separation than before.  These are major factors that can affect mental issues. Therefore, taking care of mental health of people in this critical age is paramount and needs to be seriously addressed in the World Mental Health day.

 

 

 

Gandhian values help keep up scale of human values

 

PC THOMAS

Once, a little girl saw an old man walking through the street. He was very lean, bald and had worn only a dhoti. The Old man had worn no shirt.  A mischievous little girl noticed him and shouted “Shame, Shame”. The old man stopped walking.  He looked at the little girl and smiled lavishly.  With the smile fresh in his lips, the old man asked “Why did you call ‘shame’ my child”? The girl replied. “Why didn’t you wear a shirt granddaddy? That is why I called shame.  The old man replied.  “I don’t have shirt my child”.

The girl felt sad about the old man and offered her help: “Granddaddy I shall buy a shirt for you, there is money in my little box”.  Looking to the innocence of the little girl, he said. “No my child, I don’t want to wear shirt at present”. You know in our country there are large number of poor people who don’t have money to buy even shirts. I shall wear shirt only after all people in the country are in a position to buy shirts”.  The girl was stunned and asked the man. ‘Who are you granddaddy!’?  And he replied “I am Gandhiji”.

What was the unique philosophy of Gandhiji about his life-style with the example of his personal life?  The western educated lawyer Gandhiji was never western in dress, food habits or style, but he was half-naked, wearing only a single white dhoti and a shawl and very simple chappals practicing simple living and high thinking to our society.

Mahatma Gandhi became the greatest son of India with his struggle for freedom.  He fought violence with non-violence.  The man who will be remembered for ages to come, is the Father of Nation, whose birthday is celebrated all over India on 2^nd October.  This day is also celebrated as a Dry Day, which means prohibition from alcohol.  It would be worthwhile to quote Mahatma Gandhi, “I would rather have India reduced to a state of pauperism than have thousands of drunkards in our midst.”  Gandhi’s philosophy was to get freedom from alcohol.

Gandhiji devoted his life to the teaching of love, non-violence and truth.  He was as great as Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha and Guru Nanak who changed the course of human history by their teaching.  The principal love and sacrifice he took from the life of Jesus Christ.  Similarly he adopted the theory of Karma Yoga from Gita.  He has his firm belief in the existence of God.  He stressed ones of all religions. He sacrificed his life in the altar of communal harmony and human brotherhood.

Mahatma Gandhi's idea of cleanliness and Gram Swaraj can be interpreted and respected in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. He used to say that India's soul lives in its villages. He considered villages to be the basic units of social organization. For that reason, the villages should be self-sufficient in the matters of their vital requirements.

Mahatma Gandhi always emphasized cleanliness and sanitation. It is in the current pandemic that health experts stressed “Sanitation,” Gandhiji had once said, “sanitation is more important than independence”. Cleaning of the soul was the ultimate goal of any human being. He spent his whole life in the act of cleaning the self and soul, and he did this by applying his self to public and social services.

We need to pay more heed to the basic principles of Gandhian philosophy in order to keep up the scale of human values. In the current pandemic situation, helping others can help you cope with yourself.  The only salvation for the world lies in heeding Mahatma Gandhi’s message and following his footsteps.