Submit your Article

In this generation, depression and anxiety have become major issues and it’s high time we take care of our mental health. We should be cautious about mental health as we might not be aware of the potential triggers. Since anyone might go through mental health issues, priority must be given to it. When I experienced it, I understood it. 

Life was going well. I was having a good time and hanging out with my friends and family. Although there were highs and lows, I was satisfied with myself. As I mentioned, everything was going smoothly but one morning I woke up with a heavy pounding heart and didn’t know what was going on. I woke up because I felt a kind of shiver go through my body. I had a strange feeling as I was shivering rather than sweating during summer. The fear was there.

I looked around my room and suddenly felt like I didn’t belong there. I felt detached from myself, the surroundings, and reality. It was a battle with myself. I realized I was having anxiety and what felt like a panic attack. From that day, I started having anxiety frequently which was not normal at all. I thought I could take care of myself but it got worse. In time, I felt completely detached from myself and the world.

Voices were louder than before. I started feeling lightheaded, experiencing brain fog as I felt heavy and numb. I was having trouble thinking. When I was anxious, there used to be pain in both of my hands, like hundreds of needles were being stabbed inside them and my body temperature and heart rate used to increase. It felt unreal. I didn’t know what was going on. I used to cry a lot. When I looked in the mirror, I once had the impression that I didn’t know who I was, that something wasn’t right. That was the time I decided to go see a psychiatrist.

I was already experiencing anxiety while waiting for my turn in a hospital because the voices around me seemed loud and seeing so many people made me feel uneasy. During my session with the psychiatrist, I broke down in tears as I explained to him that if I have to endure these feelings for longer than a month, I don’t want to live. He advised me to give it some time and to keep a positive outlook because everything would be okay. He also recommended medications.

After the visit with the psychiatrist, I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and depression. Every day was a struggle. I still felt like time was moving extremely slowly, that there was no point in life, and I lacked the energy to face another day during that time. As time went by, I started taking the medications and also went for counseling, and that really helped. Although I haven’t totally recovered yet, I’m getting better. However, there are times when I feel terribly depressed. 

Every day, I suffer mentally in different ways. I occasionally think I’m doing okay, but after a while, I start to doubt my abilities and start feeling worthless. Knowing my symptoms, I used to divert myself if I felt anxious. Walking and reading books were helpful. I used to stand up and walk whenever I felt anxious, and it helped. From my suffering, I got to learn so many things about mental health and how vital it is that we look after our mental health. And it is so important to prioritize ourselves.

Furthermore, to all those suffering mentally, I would like to say that I know it’s super hard but this will pass for sure. At some point, you may feel like you can’t make it and there is no hope but always respond to negative thoughts with positive ones. I know it may feel like a war in your mind but at least try and push yourself. Despite how simple it may seem, this is exhausting. Accepting that you have a mental disease is the first step towards overcoming it. That is why don’t forget that you are doing this for you. There’s always room for hope.

Physical and mental issues exist. Everyone takes medication when they experience physical difficulties, so it’s crucial to consider doing the same if you are experiencing mental issues. Additionally, keep in mind that seeing a psychiatrist and/or a counselor is not a huge thing, and taking medication if necessary is acceptable. This is just a simple reminder that we will get through this and that you aren’t alone.

I wake up in the morning and don’t want to get out of bed. I feel sad and anxious. I have no energy to study, work, or eat. My room is always messy and I don’t feel like cleaning up either. I have no motivation for anything. How do I help myself? 

Answered by Rishav Koirala, psychiatrist and researcher 

Lacking motivation to do anything, or even getting out of bed is common among many people. I went through the same thing around two weeks back. Although I was working, a part of me always felt sad and tired. I didn’t feel like doing anything either. Feelings like this are episodic. Sometimes it lasts a short while, sometimes longer. 

Keeping yourself active is important. Although you won’t feel like it, push yourself to get out of bed and indulge yourself in some physical exercise. It helps our body to release dopamine. You might not see the result immediately, but this will help. The worst thing to do at times like these is to stay put.

It’s important to keep yourself busy at times like these. It will be tough. But that’s where you shouldn’t give up. Sometimes, you need to push through this feeling and get the work done. The more you procrastinate, the worse this feeling will get. Also, avoid being on your own all the time. Go out, hang out with friends, and meet people. That will give you some positive reinforcement. And if you are under medication for any mental health issues, do not discontinue.

Don’t shy away from asking for help. This issue might not be severe, but feeling low all the time is something to be concerned about. Although it might not be depression or anxiety, there are a few diagnoses like dysthymia (persistent mild depression) and postpartum blues (low mood and mild depressive symptoms that begins shortly after childbirth) that have symptoms like these. If the feelings don’t go away even after you have made the needed changes in your lifestyle and have done everything I mentioned above, it’s always a good idea to seek help.

I’m a 35-year-old woman in a toxic marriage. My husband and I fell in love and got married a few years ago. But things soon went wrong. He even admitted that he has been cheating on me. Unfortunately, for some reason, I’m unable to let him go. We’ve come such a long way. I don’t know what I will do without him, or how I will be able to move forward alone. I want to make things right, and I’m willing to forgive him. But it seems like he doesn’t want that. I think he wants to leave me. The thought of separating is overwhelming me. I’m scared of not having him in my life. I don’t know what it is but it doesn’t feel natural. What should I do?—A troubled wife Answered by Kapil Sharma, counseling psychologist, Nepal Institute of Mental Health It’s not easy to compromise your feelings every step of the way and be there for the person you love even when he has treated you harshly. So, it’s commendable that you have been trying to mend the relationship despite having so many issues. From what you’ve told me, I can see that you’re in a dilemma about what to do next. The uncertainty of what’s going to happen has overwhelmed you and made you anxious. But going on like this, and letting yourself struggle mentally and emotionally is only going to make things worse. With relationship issues, the most important thing is communication. You’ve mentioned that you have tried talking to him and are willing to let things go if he’s willing to be with you. So maybe you need to have that one last conversation with him that will help you figure out what you need to do next. I know it’s easier said than done. The thought of separating is already difficult for you, and to think that that might be one of the two outcomes of this conversation terrifies you. But it’s the conversation you will have to have someday. So why wait and suffer? You deserve better than that. Sometimes hearing each other out can solve a lot of problems. Maybe he has a different perspective than you do. It doesn’t mean that his cheating on you wasn’t wrong, but if you’re willing to let that go then I think you should hear him out to get a clear answer about his feelings. You can also talk about what might happen if you two are together for the next five-ten years. The answer to that will also help you be certain about what to do next. If communicating on your own is difficult, couples counseling is always a good option. There, you will have someone to guide you through the process. Either you guys will be together or you’ll have to go separate ways. That’s something you’ll have to prepare yourself for since being in a toxic relationship isn’t good for either of you. Who’s going to take care of your well-being if not you? If he doesn’t want to communicate, then you know you have a clear answer on what to do next. That’s the time when you think of yourself. Being afraid of going separate ways is natural. But that’s something you might have to do. So, it’s good to surround yourself with people who will understand and support you. Going through this alone will be difficult. If you aren’t comfortable with sharing your situation with friends and family, you can always seek help from a professional. Dealing with emotions as heavy as this can be difficult. So having someone guide you will be nice. Initiating a conversation will be difficult. And the thought of going separate ways will be scary. But you have to take a step back and think about how this situation will hamper your mental peace and well-being. You will get better with time.

I’m a 20-year-old student, and I think I might be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As a child, I was pretty outgoing. But that changed when I started getting bullied, and there was no one to help me out. My classmates enjoyed joking about my looks and passing hurtful comments, and teachers ignored it. I’m still traumatized. I have no self-esteem, and I think I’m showing early signs of depression. How do I deal with this? Please help!—SK Answered by Dristy Moktan, psychosocial counselor, Happy Minds First of all, I would like to acknowledge and appreciate your courage to be vocal about what you are going through. That’s the first step you need to take in order to heal. Secondly, you should understand that the environment you grew up in, as a child, has had an impact on your personality. So, recalling the events that occurred in the past will help you find the main reason for your PTSD. It could be, for instance, like you mentioned, your experience during the school days.  However, one thing I would like to suggest is never resort to self diagnosis. A lot of patients tend to google their symptoms and come to a certain conclusion that might be completely wrong. Some of the results are the worst case scenarios. Thinking you have something similar will only make you more anxious. Being bullied can be an extremely traumatizing experience, but that doesn’t always mean you have PTSD. So, in order to get the right diagnosis, it’s best to visit a professional. In case you are diagnosed with PTSD, it’s essential for you to be vocal about the instances that trigger you. So, to start your healing journey, releasing all your built in emotions there and then, whether to a professional, or someone you trust, is the first step. That also includes explaining your feelings to someone whose actions might have affected you, for them to understand your triggering factors and be mindful about it in the future. If you don’t, this issue might get worse. What usually happens is, our mind goes into a defense mechanism where we suppress disturbing emotions, which might result in chronic depression and severe PTSD, which we want to avoid.  About raising your self-esteem, it always starts with working on yourself. In many cases, it’s just our negative thoughts, habit of overthinking, and self-doubt that pushes us behind. And in most instances, we are aware of that. So, in moments like that, ask yourself: “Why am I thinking this way?”, and reflect on your answer. Knowing that answer might help you understand your mental health status even better, and work on finding a solution.  Secondly, it’s important to engage yourself with things that help you get your self-esteem back. The process of doing so might not be the same for everyone, but you have to start somewhere in order to come out of your comfort zone and boost your confidence. It can be a certain activity, getting back to your hobby, or even hanging out with your friends. But it’s on you to find a method that helps you best in order to raise your self-esteem. This is something called a hit-and-trial method. You have to keep on trying until you find a solution.  If you are having a hard time, cry and let it all out. Don’t suppress your emotions because everything you feel is valid. Hug yourself and practice self-affirmations. Ask your loved ones to hang out with you and have meaningful conversations with them. Do anything and everything that makes you feel good about yourself, and give yourself enough time to work on yourself.  Also, creating a schedule for your daily activity helps. Set aside a time for journaling. Jotting down how you feel can help you understand your mental health status. Finding some inner peace by meditating can be helpful too. You aren’t alone in this journey, so I urge you not to panic. Whatever you are going through right now can be treated.