Mental Health Awareness

“Boys don’t cry”, “Man Up, Be strong” is all what men hear through out their life. With good intentions near and dear ones enforced a belief in them that showing one’s emotions is a sign of weakness. I am sure we all have heard these phrases being said rampantly to our young boys. In the society we live in, the prevailing patriarchal mindset celebrates aggression, extreme competitiveness, dominance, power and control as some of the must-needed attributes in our men. On the other hand, kindness, sympathy, nurturance is looked upon as feminine attributes which are considered subordinate along with emotions of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety etc. Thus to conform to social norms men bottle up emotions which affect their mental well being. It is evident that men suffer from mental health issues which at times amount to a mental disorder. It is observed that men with signs of depression will show easy irritability, aggressive behaviors , loss of interest in activities previously...

It is often presumed that a worker’s mental illness develops outside of the workplace. However, a worker may develop mental illness prior to employment or during employment. An ‘unhealthy’ work environment/workplace incident can cause considerable stress and contribute to the development of mental illness. Mental illness affects each person differently. This is why it is important for all individuals in the workplace to be aware of potential contributing factors to mental health issues and strategies to maintain a positive pathway to mental health and encourage early reporting of symptoms. One of the major contributors to mental illness is a feeling of excessive stress. Stress can be very subjective so what one person may find to be stressful may not affect or be relevant to the next person. Research shows that that job stress and other work-related psychosocial hazards are emerging as the leading contributors to the burden of occupational disease and injury in India. The risk factor...

If you tune into any conversation about mental illness and a ddiction, it won’t be long until the term “stigma” comes up. Stigma has various definitions, but they all refer to negative attitudes, beliefs, descriptions, language or behavior.  In other words, stigma can translate into disrespectful, unfair, or discriminatory patterns in how we think, feel, talk and behave towards individuals experiencing a mental illness. Rather than figure out where stigma begins, it’s easier to become more aware of what it is and when it occurs. Then we can do our best to educate others about how to reduce stigma and work toward ultimately eliminating it. How to Reduce Stigma It takes just a little effort. Not too much, just a little. And the rules of the road are quite simple. Here are 5 simple steps you can do as a new stigma fighter: 1. Don’t label people who have a mental illness. Don’t say, “He’s bipolar” or “She’s schizophrenic.” People are people, not diagnoses. Instead, say, “He has a bipol...

Our overall mental health is as important as our physical health. While we try to keep our bodies, outfit and custom shirts fit and healthy, it is also necessary to keep our minds fit and strong too.  However, most of us have no idea on how to keep our mental health in tiptop shape, and how we could understand those who are experiencing mental health concerns. Almost half of the young generation across the globe are experiencing mental health problems. Most of them are experiencing different forms of depression and anxiety caused by peer pressure, family concerns, and poor self-esteem. Also, those who are experiencing these resort to a lot of dangerous activities that could lead to serious complications. However, it is sad to know that others dismiss this concern as plain drama or just lazy to move on with their lives. The Stigmas of Mental Health The stigma of mental health problems come from those who do not really understand what is going on with someone who is mentally ill or d...

Mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population,  46% of teenagers and 13% of children each year.  However, only half of those affected receive treatment, often because of the stigma attached to mental health. Untreated, mental illness can contribute to higher medical expenses, poorer performance at school and work, fewer employment opportunities and increased risk of suicide. A mental illness is a   physical illness of the brain   that causes disturbances in thinking, behavior, energy or emotion that make it difficult to cope with the ordinary demands of life.  The two most common mental health conditions are: Anxiety Disorders  – More than 18% of adults each year struggle with some type of anxiety diorder, including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (panic attacks), generalized anxiety disorder and specific phobias. Mood Disorders  – Mo...