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 the 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, which play a crucial role mainly in the suicide of people in India. Sexually abused suicide attempters have also risen dramatically at the state-to-state level, partially in the lockdown period.

Mental issues in children have been on the rise in recent times.  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 expectations 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, 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 issue in almost every country, and it needs to be addressed.

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

While searching for common causes of suicide, a few things are definitely clear and need minimal explanation. All suicides are based on mental imbalance or a cry 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;n rather, there are several factors that contribute to the fatal act.

The question of debate that arises in the midst of suicide cases is how we would deal with the situation.  Why is mental imbalance still a taboo in our society? Why is depression, which could be indicative of suicidal behavior, is not taken seriously? And lastly, why are 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-to-day lives have changed considerably because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several challenges facing us now, as a large number of people are trapped in difficulties in different sectors, with limited protection from COVID-19. For skilled laborers whose livelihoods are threatened. A good percentage of the workforce in Indian companies suffers from some or the other form of stress.  Students, adjusting to emotional well-being conditions, encounter much more social separation than before.  These are major factors that can affect mental issues. Therefore, taking care of the mental health of people in this critical age is paramount and needs to be seriously addressed on World Mental Health Day.

 

 

 

Take a pledge to fight against the stigma of Covid patients

PC THOMAS

COVID-19 is the biggest challenge of our lifetimes, unfortunately. It is changing human behaviors and attitudes today to a great extent and forcing people to respond in different ways. Presumably, the pandemic may require more time to be brought under control, and it may take years for normalcy in all aspects of life to return. Meanwhile, the moot question is how we would survive. Perhaps there will be radical changes in life in the future, as the crisis has caused a great deal of panic; the people now consider it more of a crime to be affected by it than a disease.

What is the attitude of society towards patients who are confirmed COVID-19 positive? Due to panic among the people, the COVID-19 positive people are sometimes treated like untouchables, even though they are recovering from their disease. The cured persons struggle with multiple factors, including social isolation, stigma, and discrimination, which put them at higher risk of psychological problems. This social stigma needs to be tackled through education and awareness.

According to doctors’ versions, the Covid19 is coming and going unknowingly to many of our people. 40 percent of people would not be aware of the fact that they have Covid. But when they were tested and found positive, they became not only the victims of COVID but also of a social tragedy. A stigma is attached to those who are sick, or suspected to be sick, as well as to those who tend to them.

Also Read- what-to-do-when-corona-climbs-mt-Everest

There is a need to change the mindset of the people. We need to understand how much suffering this crisis causes to the patients and their loved ones. People with this disease should not be discriminated against. In ancient times, only lepers were secluded to a great extent for fear of contracting the sickness or becoming ritually impure through any contact with them. But Jesus Christ touched the lepers and healed them, according to the scriptures. What is the attitude of people towards COVID-19 positive patients in this modern world? Unfortunately, people treat them as if they have committed a major crime when they are infected with the coronavirus.

Human relationships are to be maintained in all situations. Social distancing does not mean not helping each other. In fact, what is meant by social distancing is physical distancing. Unfortunately, the word social distance is often misunderstood. The so called social distance should be understood as keeping at least two meters physical distance between persons. Do not misunderstand it.  Human beings are social beings. They have to treat one another with respect, empathy, and love in all situations!

Also read-Stay positive in a negative situation.

No one can live without social connections in life. Our vision and focus of life should be for all and for one another. Otherwise, there is no point in saying that we are cultured or social beings. Even a herd of animals will always try to save a suffering animal. On the contrary, human beings are becoming indifferent to other human beings. Are we not better than other animals?

Today, there is a tendency to exploit the COVID situation by greedy people. It seems to give them some sort of power to control the lives of others through various means. Unethical business dealings are some of them. Hoarding of essential goods or selling things, including life-saving medicines at a higher price to people who struggle to survive, is one of them.  Public systems need to be put in place to protect the people from such exploitation and price rise. Let us take a pledge to fight against the stigma of COVID-19.

    

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.

 

Education post-Covid, a great challenge for students

PC THOMAS

Coronavirus pandemic has influenced a huge number of young students all over the world and India is no exemption to this. All educational institutions are now wrestling with the consequences and are desperately looking for solutions for the difficulties faced by the pandemic.

When the lockdown was declared, schools, which had already incorporated E-learning platforms, could grasp the change rapidly and adjust to the new circumstance. They are connected with the students and parents through the E-learning modules and guaranteed adaptive learning process. For schools, the major challenge was to ensure acceptance of the new normal by the parents and the students. In the whole process, there have been challenges and issues; yet the parents accepted the change. Numerous parents have opted to become co-learners to facilitate the e-learning acquaintance among their children.

Also read- When the student is ready teacher will appear

The present pandemic circumstance has upset the whole educational framework, requiring revamp of the whole educational curriculum. When one looks at the current situation, it would appear that this situation may stay for quite a long time. It is admirable, however, that different government bodies and educationalists across the country are moving in the direction of discovering available resources to assist students to keep on their learning cycle while they are safe and secure at home.

In this COVID-19 time, the clear focus of educational institutions will be on modernizing technology and capacity building to provide a profound learning experience online. While each person and organization enthusiastically looks forward to the situation to normalize, it is significant for the schools to continue the learning process smoothly. Digital learning is the way forward as a significant aspect of the education system and it is time to accelerate the usage of technical tools to ensure proper delivery of lessons. For this, at least every student must have access to high-speed internet, even those who are living in isolated areas. For students who are not sufficiently equipped with basic technological tools and skills, watching pre-recorded remote learning classes will be baffling as well as frustrating.

Also read: Will schools be reopened on... 

https://bestblogpcthomas.blogspot.com/2020/08/will-schools-be-reopened-on-september-1.html

However, the current situation has given an open-door for the digital transformation of the education framework and the future will witness not only virtual classrooms but also parent-teacher interactions on virtual platforms. As the community of educationists pushes forward adjusting to the new normal, there will be some difficulties that they have to face.

A more urgent need is to address the mental health issues emerging from this pandemic among students and prepare them to grasp the new situation and provide them care, sympathy, appreciation, and resilience that are necessary to face the future.

Also read- poor forced to sell resource..

Looking at the above points, schools and educationists today need to make an effort to reduce the negative impact of the current scenario on the young minds. It is time for them to renew the system while adjusting to the new normal.  They also have to explore other practical alternatives to continue with the delivery of education in order to remain relevant and prepare the students for the future.

This article published in Metro Vaartha on 29.9.20

 

Searching suicidal behavior in children and adolescents

PC THOMAS

 Covid-19 has triggered more suicides in India. As per recent media reports, 28 people including 15 men, 9 women, one male youth, and three girls have ended lives by suicide in Chandigarh since the imposition of the countrywide lockdown and its following unlocking. It was also reported that 66 teenagers under the age of 18 have committed suicide in Kerala during lockdown. Suicides are rampant everywhere, as anxiety levels are very high in most cases.

Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput life ended in suicide which rocked Indian film industry. In Delhi, TikTok influencer Siya Kakkar, who enjoyed celebrity status with over 1.1 million followers on TikTok died by suicide. Another TikTok teen star ended life by suicide due to depression. These incidents help us understand that every suicide is tragic and is recognized as a public health or social issue in almost every country and it needs to be addressed.

Psychological issues in children are also on the rise.  Every year after the Board exams, we hear about students who are ending their lives because they feel they are unable to live up to the expectation of their families.  Many parents believe, the marks scored determine admission in educational institutions and failure to secure high enough marks, adversely affects their children’s career prospects.

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. Besides, there may be declining interest in friends, activities, or hobbies previously enjoyed, domestic issues, lack of parental concern, poor communication between parents and child, parent’s improper way of dealing with the errors committed, that pave the way in spiking the number of suicides among children.  And for elders, reasons for ending their lives may be unemployment, life insecurity, failures, distress, extra marital affairs and so on.

Also Read- Keep mental health while social distancing

 However, while searching common causes of suicide, a few things are definitely clear and need minimum explanation. All suicides are a weep for help. It is when people are most vulnerable that they attempt an act which could be named as outrageously heroic. 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.

In each case of suicide, normally people accuse one person over somebody but do not find time to reflect back and address the problem in a more transparent manner. 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: Hoping for the best amid pandemic

What we are currently encountering with the Covid-19 pandemic is unusual in late memory. There is a major crisis everywhere, professionally and emotionally. People need a place of safety from their distress. Conveying compassion in the time of emotional crisis is essential. Negativity being spread through the sources of communication is a common cause of conflict between a parent and teenagers therefore parents or guardians should take care of their children. While for many of us the reasons of suicide might often seem meaningless or absurd, there is a small section of people who would defend to deal with it and have both fought it and yield to it. For everyone, it is time to realize that life is not about ending, it is about moving forward.

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What to do When Corona Climbs Mt. Everest?

PC THOMAS

We are marching towards more than sixth month of the coronavirus induced lockdown and there seems to be no breather from the highly infectious contagion which is devastating the world. The crisis appears to be unfolding in India in the worst manner than we could have expected. As of September 22, the alarming number of COVID cases worldwide has crossed the 30-million mark and has resulted in 9,71,879 deaths.

Having dealt with social isolation in India, people keep wondering and thinking when we will able to live a normal life? The pandemic shattered the economy, corporate or the everyday economics. It wreaked people with pain of less work, of not going out or exploring new things, but it bridged that void between relationships.

While scientists and medical experts around the world have been working at a breakneck pace to launch a vaccine to control the spread of COVID-19, there is one question that everyone has that how will the pandemic end? While the official caseload has crossed the five million mark, medical experts suggest that the pandemic will touch its peak at different marks in different regions of the country. Therefore, our reaction to the pandemic has to be more localized and effective, to get rid of the pandemic from the root level.

Although the COVID time affects our emotions, memories, feelings and perspectives, it should help us to transform our vision of life for the better and to develop our character. A crisis like this teaches us lessons we would not learn when things are pleasant. We are the sum of the experiences that we come across as we go through life. As human beings, when we encounter a challenge, we have liberty on how to respond to it.

Also Read - How do we prepare ourselves against Covid pandemic?

This pandemic has taught us many things if we can introspect. Different people must have got different realization. The time is ripe to reconsider and rethink our lifestyles and our approach towards social unity. We must tighten protocols and work in unison to build a COVID free society. Cleanliness of surroundings in general and personal hygiene in particular should now be prioritized. We must extend a serving hand without anticipation of a reward. We can help those in need and be ready to help and take help when needed. Let us realize that humans are made out of love and let this love be around. Let us imbibe and reflect love.

Also Read: when-will-we-go-back-to-normal-life

In these difficult times we see many torch-bearers who are risking their lives to protect others – Doctors, nurses and police forces are the epitome of human values in this crisis. Keeping our helplessness in view, we must all surrender before the Almighty’s Power. As we move ahead on the pathway of humankind, things will roll in our favour, pleasing the creator. If we are at peace within ourselves and at peace with the nature we will certainly dispose of this virus. All of us are tense and stressed. We must turn to Almighty. Stay updated with the Best Blog PC Thomas