We need to talk by Anandita Khera Sept 2021 |
Anandita was a beautiful soul who epitomised everything that humanity stands for. Our very first blog was written by her in September 2021. She left us in December 2021. The introduction below was written by her.
“An engineer on the outside, a leukaemia survivor on the inside, Anandita has a deep passion for spreading awareness on subjects that may be considered taboo. Her motto in life is “Let’s talk about it”. Usually found exchanging psychology facts with people or fussing over English grammar rules.”
“We need to talk”
“We need to talk”
“The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind declared that India is facing a possible mental health epidemic”
Counseling psychology has made tremendous advancement in the recent past but sadly, our society hasn’t. Clouded by the archaic notion that only the “mentally disoriented” need the attention of a professional, mental wellness has often been forced to take a backseat. With such stigma, the youth of the country find it incredibly hard to broach the subject at home due to a fear of backlash.
Our generation has a lot of contemporary issues that we sometimes find hard to communicate. Oftentimes, parents can’t relate and end up telling us “it’s just a phase” or “this can’t be happening” or “give yourself some time”. How, then, do we talk about hush hush matters like relationships and breakups, emotional turmoil and trauma? How do we communicate our feelings when we ourselves can’t make sense of it?
As someone in their early 20’s going through an especially confused phase with respect to career choices, I have realized how real anxiety can get. There are days when it hits me that I don’t have a passion in life and a mental spiral begins. The anxiety often gets me stuck in a vicious cycle of self-sabotaging tendencies. But talking about it with friends or an elder helps and I snap out of it.
When I was in grade 1, I had a friend who always required her mother to walk her in through the colossal school gates, up until she reached the classroom. Her mother never thought that such a dependency was stemming from an unnatural need or insecurity. Now, at 21 years of age, she says, there are times when she has to travel to work using public transport and the same gripping fear torments her. She is fairly independent and has lived alone for a substantial number of years but the separation anxiety still pops up every now and then. Through the years, she has realized that keeping a journal and dropping a “I’ve reached” text helps her cope.
When it comes to being aware of mental well-being, it is important that we provide a space for others that is
- Free of judgment and personal bias
- Confidential
- Safe and comfortable
Inhibition towards seeking help nudges individuals in a bubble of denial. This is where a lack of communication worsens the situation, creating an invisible atmosphere of tension between parents and their children. So, it is imperative that we recognize our needs well. As a society, we must work towards a more inclusive way to discuss our issues.
