REPORT ON PSYCH TALK: BUSTING MYTHS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

-AARUSHI JAIN

This is a report on the webinar- PSYCH TALK: BUSTING MYTHS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. It was held on 29^th June, 2020, Monday from 08:00p.m onwards. This webinar is organized by EMPOWER PEOPLE .It’s about clearing the illogical thoughts of people. Here we have two speakers-: Shivani Nirmal and Sumati Rani.

MYTH 1: Psychologists can read your mind.

Actually it’s not true. It’s based on science work with scope of phonemically world and work on research. As they are human being who does not know what’s in your mind. Who claims that they can read mind our not psychologists.

MYTH 2: Mental Health doesn’t make much a difference.

People take this so lightly. It is just like other organ. If you are having some problem then they hinder your daily tasks. It’s your brain which function all other things. Psychologists will not judge you like other’s can so take it serious and cure it as soon as possible.

MYTH 3: Talking about my mental health makes me weak/feminine- “ladki Hai Kya? Mard bano!”

Here we need specially address the guys here. And its hurts because when they listen this kind of words which makes they feel inferior about talking this. We need to get here gender expectation that we impose and toxic masculinity. There are many consequences that occurs. Suicide rate & depression rate our increasing in male in context to India which is alarming. Talk about this with whom you are comfortable. So we need to acknowledge this.

MYTH 4: There is something WRONG with me if I have mental health issues.

If someone is going to the therapists or telling about the issue they are facing then society and nearby people will say that –“you are not mad”, nothing is like this. If you are facing this then it’s not a problem with you their many factors- economic, social, PTSD, etc. you to need to understand the reasons & address them and solve. If you are feeling stressed & anxiety so it’s not your fault talk to someone who does not judge you and you should have someone like this.

MYTH 5: The person is just being lazy or not trying enough-“Stop whining, get yourself together.” “You are just imagining.” “People have it worse than you.”

How much you try? And everyone has sometime mental illness. It is cruel for anyone comparing with anyone else is just not correct because everyone is different. That your pain is less and mine is more has different history. No point in comparing. Nothing is stable and we need to stop judging each person from another one.

MYTH 6: “Be positive. Everything will make sense.”

This sentence is the worst thing you can tell someone who is going through mental health. They are feeling anxious and how do you know everything will good. It is good to appreciate the little things we have but comparatively we can’t deny that we are bound to feel low at some point of time. Equally address this and their mentors& guru’s on social media. If you will not accept and recognize the wrong how will you cure & correct it. Try to figure out.

MYTH 7: “Thoda exercise kar, sab thik ho jyega.”

Mind and our body is inter-related so what you feel affects your body also. Feeling calm, peace and soon every single time is not possible so don’t underestimate. And if it’s serious then reach out to professionals and loved ones. As it’s important to know and these statements are just sometimes invalid too.

MYTH 8: Mental Health is the individual’s problem. It is your fault if you are struggling.

People should start believing that empathy is important. And if you can’t emphasize so just listen to the person and just don’t burst out the advice. You just have to be patient. Someone is reciprocating and if can be cured by professionals. You can’t hold yourself responsible. Just be there for them sometimes not always like some little gestures of asking them.

MYTH 9: Visiting a Therapist is a matter of shame.

We all deserve a therapy as we are living as in a society where we are stressed and things are complicated too. People go to therapist just to understand & navigate themselves. Untangle the trauma from past which you can’t handle any more so we need to understand & seek help. Therapist are trained, analyzing you, diagnose after several thing and if you can’t access the therapy there our helplines that are available. So we need to understand this and it is not a matter of shame. Must have support system as they can save lives. Therapy does not make you weak it’s actually make us better human being.

MYTH 10: Psychologists don’t have any mental health issues/illness.

 Like people think that you are doctor how can you have a cold? This is something very wrong and vice versa goes for psychologists. As professionals are same as other human beings. So we as psychologists are vulnerable. Amount of emotional loads that goes on psychologists as you can share with them but they have to think a lot before this. If someone knows that how human beings tends and behave that doesn’t mean that they can’t go through same.

So we can summarize this by that all of them are just a myth which you need to stop believing and understand the importance of this. Mental health is just not out of the box as you treat it. It’s just like all other problems that appears physically and this occurs mentally. So we need to support the people who are suffering from these issues. There is nothing impossible if we start thinking.

 

COMPILED BY – AARUSHI JAIN