Life is a journey about going through changes and adapting to them. Sometimes these changes are easy to go through, while sometimes they challenge you to the extent, where you doubt yourself, your emotions, feelings, or in extreme cases, even your existence. If these negative emotions and feelings go unobserved, they can lead to a serious mental health issues.
Mental health, in simple terms, means an overall social, emotional and psychological well-being. Across the world, October 10 is observed as ‘World Mental Health Day’ to raise awareness about mental health issues. According to a WHO report, half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, and 75% of it is full blown by the age of 18. It also highlighted that suicide and depression are the second and third major, respectively, causes of death among youth.
India has the largest youth population in the world. Youth have the power, the motivation, and the zeal to lead. Considering the importance of youth in our society it would be detrimental to ignore their mental health issues. To protect and promote such a considerable section of our overall population, we need more people to talk about mental health, understand its importance, and most importantly help those in need.
Changes in sleep or appetite, mood changes, social withdrawal, issues with memory, concentration and speech, apathy, crying spells, among several others are some of the signs of mental health problems.
Speak Up! For yourself and others. Talk to people around you, share how you feel, exercise, eat well, observe your thinking patterns and take good care of yourself. If none of these options suits you, seek help of a professional. Psychologists and psychiatrists are just a call away. Remember that every problem has a solution, provided you are willing to find one.
Spread this and start being aware of your emotions.