Towards a Sound Minded- Life

So since everyone is quite avid currently regarding mental health and how real the impacts of unhealthy emotional and mental states could be, I just wanted to say how relieved I am that people are actually taking it more seriously each day. It is terribly unfortunate that it takes a suicide of a loved celebrity for us to talk about these things, and then the dialogue dies down until the next celebrity commits suicide out of similar reasons. Let us not make this something that is just in trend, but a vital discourse in our daily lives, in order to ascertain the stability of holistic health in people around us and ourselves.

So many lives are taken every day due to mental health issues, which obviously go unnoticed as not all are popular or social celebs. There are many who have also overcome mental health issues victoriously and have shared their stories to inspire others. Healing IS possible. It doesn’t have to be a one off event when you wake up one day and everything feels alright from that point onwards organically(which also happens and that is an amazing blessing) ,because methods of healing differ from person to person.

In the hope of helping someone who would read this and feel like this is for him/her, listen, EVERYONE has or is going through mental health issues at some point in their lives. The degree may vary, the output may differ, but just like we fall sick in our bodies, our minds too fall sick and it is NORMAL. What is NOT normal is you not going to the doctor when you know you’ve injured your arm and has a large bleeding wound which cannot be treated by first aid –similarly if you don’t get yourself help when your emotions are unusually out of balance or you’re feeling unusually low (your mind has a bleeding wound) then that is NOT normal.

• Get help. Stigma is what has kept generations of human beings from opening up about their emotional and mental health issues. In this world of information overload, digital competition on social media, overexposure, technology playing big brother, one finds very little privacy unless you are NOT on the internet at all. How do you think we can cope with the pressure of a physical AND virtual life if we don’t have necessary support, a place we can go to heal and replenish, and find a safe haven away from the public eye!

• Live a balanced life. Social media can be gravely injurious to your emotional wellbeing if you don’t know how to handle it properly. Do not spend all your time on your apps. It is also not very good for your physical health – I am speaking empirically. Some tips that have helped me are as follows:
  Periodic Social Media fasting- The farthest I have gone avoiding all platforms of SM was one whole month. 30 days. This happened in August 2019 and I was extremely thankful that I decided to do this. It was quite difficult during the first 4 days as my fingers habitually scrolled over to the apps on my phone – mostly unintentionally. To escape this I deleted the apps off my phone, and at the beginning of the month I put up a notice on my pages so that my friends would know why I am unavailable online. Those who mattered, called me. Those who didn’t could wait or just ignore. 
   I sporadically take a day or two off SM per week, and it keeps me sane; my mind rested. 
  Follow only what would build you: yes I know and can relate to the need of being on par with what happens in our favorite celebrity’s life, but if that piece of news does not build you and rather weighs you down with further pressure to look a certain way or live a certain way, then why bother? Go to their profiles by and by if you want to, but you don’t have to monitor their every step in life if you are not regularly inspired.
  You’re not obligated to be friends /follow someone, let someone access your profiles etc. on social media if you don’t want to (for a fair reason of course). If they feel bad about it, it’s their problem , not yours. You be honest with them, love them, explain to them what your side of the story is – understanding it is their issue and not yours. 

• Reduce screen time . During lockdown I learned in depth how nourishing and fulfilling it is to spend time with yourself, OUT of the virtual world. It also was good for my overall health, as I could spend many wasted minutes on screen working on my skills, reading more books, and also studying some interesting social and humanitarian topics. It also will prompt you to get to know your family better, which in it itself was rewarding to me. I’m determined to continue this habit, and I take conscious measures to only get online when I need to check something important, and I put off my data as soon as the post is shared/the article is read/ or the conversation is ended. I don't go on home pages/news feeds. :) 

These are just a few tips as to how I manage my times on Social Media in order to keep my sanity in check.

(c) 

What are yours? Would love to discuss. 

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Photo Credit: Kushan Chamupathi