COVID19 pandemic and mental health

'Mental health' - I think we have been hearing this word more than ever since we were struck by the COVID pandemic.

Social isolation and loneliness is the main cause, followed by uncertainty and fear of infection.  But, loss of job/earnings could be closer to many of us. I will be soon joining the statistics.

Over the year, we have become more aware of mental well-being, seeing more workshops for mental 'resiliency', mindfulness exercises, yoga lessons, and information. I can add occupational health that provides free counselling, too.

When mental health is laid out as 'something to improve/promote', it becomes the person's responsibility to fall ill because he/she did not look after him/herself.

But is it always the case? 

Some things are inevitable - losing business, jobs, assets, a partner, close friends... you name it. It is not totally within our control, isn't it?

The media says we will see more unemployed people soon when the furlough scheme ends.  Should we tell them they should work on their mindfulness and exercises to keep up with their mental resiliency? Or book an appointment with a counsellor? 

No, no!!! Why do we make ourselves distant because the other one is mentally ill? No need for it. The mindset of 'healthy = in control' vs. 'ill-health = not in control" is placing mentally ill people further in a deep mental pit unnecessarily because we do not communicate with each other. 

Nothing to say? Have no idea what to say? Afraid of saying wrong things?  

But what about 'care'? Could you tell the person, "I care for you?" and be there for him/her. You really need to mean it, though. It cannot be treated as a casual greeting and you have done a lifetime duty by saying it. You have no idea not needing to take a huge effort to talk to someone is a huge relief for an emotionally disturbed person. When I was really down, a friend of mine came and took me for a walk to the local park. At that time, my mind was dead and numb, but my body was functioning. By walking and chatting un-trivial things with her helped to clear some fogs in my mind. Before that, I really felt no one care and I was trapped in that thoughts. 

But this person, my friend took her time out, came for me and walked with me. That put matters around me into perspective. 

One word, one action - being reassured that we matter is what we need more than anything. 

What is 'Mental Health'?

 Recently, I had a workshop about 'mental health' and 'mental well-being'.

I have nothing against the workshop; I refreshed my knowledge and it was useful.

But what I bothered most is the placing people in relation to 'mental health' and 'mental wellbeing'.

Mental well-being is on y-axis, indicating a negative to positive continuum state, while mental health is on the x-axis, dichotomous state of being ill (left) and free from illness (right)

According to the classification, we can be placed in one of four quadrants: 

(1) No mental health problems, positive mental well-being (++)  - right top side

(2) Had mental health problems, positive mental well-being (-+) - left top side

(3) No Mental health problems, but negative mental well-being (+-) - right bottom side

(4) Have mental health problems, negative mental well-being (- -) - left bottom side

I am very disturbed about the implications of the definition of mental health to mental health suffers. It implies those who have ever been diagnosed are never freed from the illness.  Is this right approach? 

I do not think so.

Those who are not diagnosed yet may have symptoms. This classification of 'mental health' is likely to condemn those who suffered from mental illness for good. I fear that this approach only stops people from asking for proper help and leaves them to suffer silently.   

Is this the right approach?

I hope to hear from you.

Job security and mental health

We are facing unmeasurable job insecurities that we have not faced since the Black Monday. That is what the media says. My job is not secured regardless of the Covid-19 pandemic, but I know the feelings for a long time. 

The fear of losing our own job near future is huge mental pressure. It is like a cancer cell, growing in our mind each day. Being served with a redundancy notice adds to the pressure, fuelled by financial responsibilities.  It feels like you are trapped in a bag and bashed constantly without any means of escape. 

One negative thought leads to another, creating a perpetual loop of near paranoia. It becomes a mountain of stress, straining our mind and draining out all energies. At this point, we all need some kind of help when we are sent with massive weblinks. It is because we do not have any mental strengths left to trawl those web links. 

We are indirectly taught not to display our own problems to other people or not to burden other people by offloading our own problems. It is because our ‘problems’ are for professionals. Is it correct?  I also hear another expression, ‘sort yourself out’. But when we are feeling powerless, exhausted with mental strain, and unable to cope with the stress any further, the last thing we want is to be overwhelmed again. 

But, we are not incapable. We are capable but lost in a forest, trapped with our own fear, doubts, guilt and shame. We are walking in a labyrinth, desperately seeking a way out. Needing mental health help does not necessarily mean that we need to be taught how to think. We just need a big sign, saying ‘this way out’ or guiding light to a straight path to the top of the mountain. 

For me, my guiding light is to be able to feel hope through empowerment. I want empathy with solidarity, not shallow sympathy. I also do not need judgement; yes you are quite right that I could have done better to prevent me from losing a job. But regret belongs to the past that I cannot undo. Regrets do not do anything, but fuelling the speed of the cycles of our negative thoughts, often ending up with anger. And anger eats our minds up. 

A close person with whom we can openly talk would help, research says so. Does this mean it is my fault that I do not have such a person?  But, wait if we are now allowed to offload our mind, even a tiny bit, it means ‘open’ talk is a very luxurious thing and almost impossible to achieve under any circumstances. How lonely it would be if we are suffering in our mind! 

So I say we should not be carrying our mental sufferings on our own any further. If we aim to eradicate injustice/inequalities, mental health should have a place in society, but not left with professionals only. Our social norm is not about being free from mental health problems. People with mental health problems are as same as people without such a problem (or not acknowledging they have a problem). There should be a way to get the labyrinth out together, finding a guiding light. That should be true 'inclusiveness' that our society should aspire to be.