Beginning of the first week
of the new year saw the ugly, venomous monster raising its head at Pune and
Mumbai. Media in every form was abuzz and replete with destruction it caused,
disturbance it created. Reading and watching it evolve to its furious height,
made me numb to begin with and self reflective little while later.
Days and weeks ahead will witness
booking the miscreants and confining their activities further. But what will
remain to be tackled is why something like this happened in the first place? A
pondering on this question leads to none other than one cause… “Mental Health”,
of the individuals and together as the society. Much needs to be done to
address the deteriorating mental health of this dynamic, fast growing and ever fast-paced
world.
I in individual capacity,
may not be able to bring about the much needed change. But can I not change the
way I deal with myself in extreme situations, under stress? If every individual
in the society starts becoming more aware of the health of the mind and takes
concrete steps to restore it to fiddle fit status, will it not usher in the
society that lives and thrives in peace and harmony?
These days, being health
conscious is not new thing. Many follow a healthier life style already and many
have joined the path. But it is all about the physical health. All the rioters,
as I can see from the pictures and images shared in media, appeared healthy. That
means only being physically healthy is not enough. Had there been emotional
stability and the intellectual clarity in the mindset of the mob, no one would have
witnessed the ugly scenarios. The emotions and the intellect comes under the
purview of the “Health of the Mind”
When I introspect myself, I find
that, I do get influenced by extreme situations. The obvious reactions then
follow a pendulum pattern. At one end of the pendulum swing is anger and on the
other end is frustration. Both are negative energies that burn me out. And when
this burning inside happens, the signs are felt outside as well. All this
while, I can not do anything constructive or creative. Its purely the wastage
of very costly resource…”time”. However, if I try and focus on my mental state
and accept the occurrence of the rise of the negative vibes, can I not
consciously avert the aftermath? Yes, I can!
Eureka moment is when you
know that your mind is in need of help. You can either try your own ways to
restore it to the normal state. If not in the capacity of the individual to
restore it, there is a greater wisdom in seeking help. Lets not look at seeking
help as a taboo. Rather we should congratulate ourselves in taking the right steps
to restore the healthy mind.
An unhealthy mind even in a
healthy body is a crippled self. Simple techniques like living in present, simple
breathing exercises, meditation, talking it out, eating right food, being
active, spending quality time with family, friends or support groups, helping
others in need, investing in hobbies, maintaining the gratitude journal, taking
break, etc can help one keep the mind healthy.
While working on the healthier
self, one needs to include the health of the mind for a complete and perfect picture
of life. Lets be mentally strong and physically fit to make the living a
pleasurable experience for ourselves and for all around us. What do you say?
-- § § § § § --
This post is written as part of #ChatterPrompts by BlogChatter. Prompt this week was..
I agree whole heartedly Anagha .Mins and body hold each others hand I feel.One cannot live healthy without the other.I too avoid negative news and negativity as far as possible to keep me healthy #Chatterprompts
ReplyDeleteThats a great fundamental concept... mind and body hold each others hand! Thanks for adding this to the discussion of health of mind.
DeleteYou're so on point, Anagha. Mental & emotional well being is as important as our physical health. It's rather ironical that people, especially in India, brand those who seek even a sesdipn of counselling (out of their responsibility) as "mentally ill". We're heading nowhere if we unsee what our mind is filled with, despite the counter of material achievements ticking at lighting speed.
ReplyDeleteOur mind is the controller of all our senses. We're not just what we eat or read. We are also because of what we imbibe our mind with. At times, it's better not to get our mind the better of us. Isn't it?
Great post!
Counter of material achievement...wow thats a good thought Ashvini. Agree that this counter is of now use whatsoever if the mind is not in the state to enjoy its 'tick tick'!
DeleteThank you so much for visiting and adding to the discussion of the mental health.
I agree completely. Mind and body are one. We have to focus on feeding both mind and body good and healthy things so that we can thrive.
ReplyDeleteFeeding the right fodder to the mind and body is definitely the key to well being. Thank you Alice for visiting and reflecting on the topic
DeleteHealthy mind is important. Being healthy means not only a healthy body but healthy mind too. I agree with you And have.
ReplyDeleteThank you Deepa for visiting. Glad that you also resonate with same frequency as that of mine on this topic.
DeleteWell said, Anagha!
ReplyDeleteA healty mind is as important as a healthy body is.
I agree with you that we should work on making ourselves mentally stronger.
Good post!
Thank you Mayuri for visiting, resonating and appreciating my post!
DeleteI agree with you that for a society to improve, each one of us need to work on our mental health. We are facing an era when people, though, they are increasingly focussed on physical health but they are letting go off their mental equilibrium.
ReplyDeleteIts sad but yes, we are much behind in working on mental health Anamika. Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts on the topic.
DeleteI agree with you
ReplyDelete