I wish to ask a question today that has been troubling me for last few days.

Do you believe that physical health is more important than mental health?

Why is it that a person who suffers a physical injury, say from an accident or a calamity or an attack, is given more attention than a person who gets mentally disturbed by the incident?

If I tell my family or employer that I am down with fever, they all advise rest and also ensure that I get well soon. But if I happen to tell them that I am feeling low today or that I am upset today or that I feel worthless today, then why am I not awarded the same attention?

If someone gets hurt by our car, we are so concerned about his well being that we rush him for medical treatment (not to say that we shouldn’t) but if someone gets hurt by our words (or lack of words), we are least bothered about his or her feelings. Why?

We are always careful about not causing injury to anyone but do we also care about the feelings of others in a similar way?

 

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Do we weigh our words before we speak?

Do we realize the impact of ignoring someone we love or taking him or her for granted?

We check our (physical) health but not our words when infact, words cause a deeper wound that takes more time to heal.

Physical health is the state of well being of our body. In the same way, mental health is the state of well being of our mind. Then why do we have a casual and reckless behavior towards a person who has issues with his mental well-being?

Why do we tend to ignore the signs that indicate that the person is struggling to keep up to oneself?

 

Anger, short-temperedness, anxiety, social withdrawal, sadness, loss of interest or appetite, frequent mood swings, irritability, decreasing energy levels, lack of concentration, lack of confidence/ self esteem etc are symptoms of deteriorating mental health of an individual. These may lead to depression and if it gets prolonged, it may also be the cause of major depression called “Clinical Depression.”

 

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Do not ignore these signs in an individual. He might be in need of your help and support when all you have been thinking is that he is physically fit and away from any trouble.

Depression is like a termite that feeds on our confidence and individuality and creates a void in our life that takes a long time to fill.

A person suffering from depression needs more love, care and encouragement than a normal individual.

Your few minutes of time and few words of motivation can prevent a person from falling into the trap of major depression.

A falling mental health can lead to physical illness and a prolonged physical illness can be the cause of declining mental health. It therefore calls for a balance to be struck between the two. So let’s take a conscious effort to identify the signs and work on its cure!