Talk it out !

Mental health awareness is the call of the hour. So, I felt that I should also come forward and speak about what my opinions are in this context. My firm belief is that all mental issues can be solved by bridging the communication gap. Let me try and bring about a fair justification for this.

Everyone wants to be heard. Think about the times when you were feeling sad about something and you called up your friend, just to tell them about it. How did that make you feel? Relieved, right? This was because that was all that you wanted at that time. You wanted to lift off that stress and tension and just a little talk with your close one made you feel better. This is all that is required by someone who is going through depression or anxiety disorders or any such mental illness. You need to make all those around you comfortable enough to make them feel at home. Because I find most of the people saying that how can we help anyone if we don't know what they are going through. Have you ever thought, why you don't know and why they hesitate in telling you something?

Now, many of you might be thinking that if the solution to all these problems is so simple, then why does anyone need to go to a therapist or a psychiatrist? So, let me ask you this- "What does a therapist do?" All that a therapist does is make you feel comfortable. They are all ears. They listen to everything that you have got to say. Some people are more comfortable in telling their stories to someone who doesn't know them already. This may be because they want to ensure that others' views are not given more importance than theirs. I was observing the therapy sessions that were going on in TV series like "Never have I ever" or "13 reasons why" and I couldn't help but notice the way the therapists were conducting these sessions. They basically listen to you and keep questioning you at the same time. While answering those questions, you realize that the solutions to all the problems that you were facing actually lie within you. So, they make you understand your own problems and also come up with solutions to them. This makes you feel confident that you are capable of facing and solving your own problems, which ultimately improves your inner strength.

Let me tell you about the power of communication by telling you about this man named Don Ritchie, who is also known as "the angel of the Gap". He lived near the cliffs at Watson's Bay in eastern Sydney. This is a well-known suicide spot. He would simply offer these people, ready to give up their lives, a cup of tea and someone to talk to. Just by this, he prevented more than 160 suicides off of that cliff. This shows the power of communication and how the basis of all the mental issues is the lack of someone to talk to. So, the next time someone feels sad, just ask them to "Talk it out!". Make your friends and family feel so warm and safe that they always remain mentally healthy. And just talk it out!!