Covid trapped people in its claws and made the world upside down. Covid entailed lockdown and hence the homes turned into a cage for humans. One more reason got added to the list of people to get anxiety and depression.
The whole such scenario turned several eyes towards the problem of mental health which surprisingly should have been a major topic even earlier. But you see, we humans don’t cure our disease until and unless it blows our life into pieces. Being a psychologist I was already aware of the problem and even predicted the whole future of mental health before anyone. And my concern for the issue entailed the launch of the Peacfulmind Foundation. It is a global organisation that is registered with the United Nations and is based in New Delhi, India. The aim of our foundation is “to make psychology a household term, peace, and well-being and, culture.”
I have treated and guided numerous people facing the issue of mental health. One of my patients was Reena, she was fortunate to have a luxurious lifestyle which tells us that she had plenty of money but was that enough? Well for her, the answer was no as she was suffering from depression and the difficult part was to confront it in front of everyone.
Mental health is considered a taboo in our society and this pulled her back to hide her anxiety and fight alone. One of her mates suggested she come in contact with our foundation in the year 2019 and there she encountered me, as I psychologist I busted her myths surrounding the issue. This helped Reena, my patient to get rid of her problem and at present, she is completely a changed person, way happier than ever.
Many people like Reena have enrolled with our Peacfulmind Foundation and have experienced a positive change in them. The pandemic brought the issue of mental health to light but we should never forget who lit the very first ray of hope. I’ve been working on the issue for ages and aspire to get rid of all the myths around it.
The number of patients that I have cured has increased over time faster and I am focusing to bring change into society and treating mental health issues normally. It’s high time that people start taking it lightly and stop giving tags to the people who suffer from the same. The initiative I took was way before the chaos of the pandemic and honestly speaking sometimes I feel proud of myself.
The first thought that struck my mind at the commencement of the pandemic was that the number of patients will surely shoot. Millions of people lost their jobs, teenagers were stuck at home and older people didn’t even get a chance to roam in parks. These reasons were enough to make people fall into the trap of depression and anxiety. I observed an increase in the demand for therapies as mental peace was lost and no one wanted to get deep inside the caves of depression.
Some people may find that I am bragging but people have told me that I have turned out as a blessing in the situation of pandemic for them. Also, has made people realise how crucial is the issue of mental health. According to me, it’s just like a plant more you nurture it more it gets developed.
Professor Nabhit Kapur is the founder of the Peacful Mind Foundation. You can connect with him on Twitter @nabhit_kapur.