Atrocities and staying strong

With all that is happening in the world, the mental state of people has taken a turn for the worse. The fear and anxiety we are all experiencing now has taken a toll on our minds and bodies. I’m not just talking about the COVID- 19 crisis, I’m talking about all the cases that have come up and seem to be rapidly increasing. George Floyd, Sandra Bland, the thirteen year old girl who was raped by a police inspector, Eric Garner, Samuel Dubose, the 17 year old boy who was not allowed inside a temple and was shot dead for filing a police complaint, all the dogs that have been found dead and there are many more. All news regarding these cases have been circling the Internet and making people aware of the atrocities of the world. Petitions have been made and donations are given to help all the people who have fallen victims to these cases. But sometimes knowing and donating may not be enough.

Knowledge is power but sometimes it is overbearing. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India has advised us to not follow sensational news or social media posts which may impact our mental state. If you are easily affected by news like the ones mentioned above, you are advised to not look at news like that. Your health comes first. A new WHO self-help for managing distress and coping with adversity has shown to be safe and effective in a trial involving South Sudanese women living in Uganda. Based on the results this new approach is a promising strategy to address the vast gap in mental health support. The government of India has started talking about mental health at their conferences and new apps and helplines are being launched to help cope with the stress etc. There are all sorts of ways to keep our mental health in check such as counselling, peer chat support groups, webinars and even clinically-validated mental health video games.

What’s important to remember is that regardless of all the atrocities that are taking place, you need to stay strong and firm. Don’t let it get to you and break you down. You need to believe that the situation will get better and hope for the better. At times it might really feel like you’re about to lose it all but never lose yourself to that. Speak up about what’s happening or what’s bothering you. Let people know what they’re doing wrong.

~Rea(Aszist)