World Mental Health Day – Let’s make it a reality

This Sunday 10 October, is World Mental Health Day. The day which was established by the United Nations in 1992 is celebrated annually to raise awareness of mental health issues and to mobilise efforts in support of mental wellbeing. This year’s theme on the World Mental Health Day is “Mental healthcare for all: let’s make it a reality.” We reached out to our school counsellors, Ms Madhuri, Ms Supriya and Ms Nitya, to find out more about what TISB can do for students and broader community. 

How difficult is it to carry out even small tasks, like getting out of bed or brushing one’s teeth, when we do not feel emotionally well? – Ms Madhuri, TISB School Counsellor 

Mental health is a term that describes how we think, feel, act and navigate through the highs and lows of life. It impacts our emotions, relationships and our quality of life. However, we often tend to give less importance to mental wellbeing compared to physical wellbeing. “But it’s essential to understand that both contribute to our daily functioning. So, when the mind is well, we are well”, says Ms Madhuri. Ms Supriya agrees and says: “Mental illness can cause stress and impact our immunity levels. This in turn can jeopardize our body’s ability to cope with sickness”, and adds that unhealthy minds may hamper physical activity.  

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the accompanying social distancing and isolation, virtual lifestyles and disrupting mental health services, has had a severe impact on mental wellbeing. “It’s important in the best of times, but in the context of the pandemic we’ve had to deal with a larger extent of rupture, loss, repair, and readjustment to our changed reality”, says Ms Nitya, who believes that it has had a toll on all of us, although it may have had very different effects and that it is often very less visible than physical developments. 

Therefore, TISB and the school counsellors find it central to offer students support in a safe space. This is done by the counsellors, Monday to Friday every week. The sessions can be booked online through the Student Portal, and the counsellor meets the students once or twice per week as required. The sessions are based on ‘talk therapy’, which is conversation, using techniques from different schools in the field of psychology, and even art and movement-based techniques. “While we’re all similar, we’re also vastly different”, says Ms Nitya, explaining how therapy acknowledges our unique challenges in our unique contexts. In addition, seminars are conducted every term for parents, teachers and students on topics, such as ‘Parenting during the pandemic’, ‘Trauma informed teaching during the pandemic’, ‘LGBTQ+ awareness’, ‘Counselling skills for Peer Support Group’, ‘Empathy and how is it different from sympathy’, ‘How to handle anxiety’ and ‘Intimacy awareness’. 

It’s never too late, and you are not alone. Counselling is also a form of investment that benefits you for life – Ms Supriya, TISB School Counsellor 

“One important thing to understand is that everyone’s ability varies when it comes to dealing with difficulties”, says Ms Madhuri, stressing that there is no problem too small or too big. Ms Nitya agrees, and says that “most of us get stuck and quickly proceed to dismissing and undermining our concerns as not being “serious enough” to seek therapy.” The sessions are available for everyone seeking guidance and support for changes in life, abuse, personal matters and feelings, relationships, academic stress, decision-making, societal pressures, etc. There is no right or wrong options. “To go for therapy, the only criterion one needs to meet is to be human”, says Ms Nitya. There are also other ways to proceed, as Ms Madhuri gives a few examples to: “Seek support if you need, and nurture your minds by practicing journaling, self-care and meditation."