Thursday 14 August 2014

Mind Body Soul

Mind Body Soul

Hi reader! I am glad that you chanced to glance upon this article, and hope you have a good read.

Health, as understood by all of us, is the state of well being and fitness. It is well being of the body and mind. As the adage goes “Health is Wealth.” I take the liberty to generalize and say, that most of us take our health for granted. Which means, we do not take care of ourselves? We are fit by default, and only when we are unwell that we do something about it. Servicing is not only for our bikes and gadgets, but it is utmost important to take care of ourselves, irrespective of any constraints we may face as part of our daily lives. To identify and honor our body’s needs, being sensitive to ourselves and unhesitantly taking instant help – is what we owe to ourselves and our loved ones.

If we are not feeling well physically – the problem is easy to detect, we go to the doctor and administer medication. But what when we are not feeling fine in our minds. Does that not happen? It does. To all of us. At different times. Perhaps manifested in different ways.

Everyone feels anxious, worried or stressed out sometimes and life can seem overwhelming. It's easy to see why when we think about all the pressures that are heaped upon us: society, family, work... where does it all end?

The different manifestations of these symptoms are termed mental illness. Mental illnesses are no different to any other illnesses - they have a biological basis. In the same way as cancers develop as a result of both external and internal factors, so too do mental illnesses.
The important question then is – Why do we not seek immediate help, or acknowledge the fact that we need help. One of the most common reasons is the social “stigma” that a mental illness attracts. Having spent most part of my childhood in Delhi, all South Indians are called “Madrasi”, similarly we tend to call all people with mental illness as “pagal”. It is ignorant and insensitive on our part, and this stigma is a major deterrent to seek help.

It contributes to delays in seeking care, impedes timely diagnosis and treatment for mental disorders, serves as an impediment to recovery and rehabilitation, and ultimately reduces the opportunity for fuller participation in life.

Like any other physical ailment – like a headache, fever – the condition does not treat itself, but if not dealt with, aggravates with time and creates an internal imbalance. This manifests in terms of psychological conditions.

We must, therefore, know how we are feeling, in body and in mind. Alcohol, cigarettes or a chocolate cake are a quick fix in our weak periods, but add to the problem than tackling it. Instead we must aspire to lead a healthy and wholesome life - full of people who support us, and activities that rejuvenate us. Any time we feel the slightest discomfort, we must not hesitate to seek expert attention. And why not!


By: Arati Prabhu


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