mental health Archives

How Aparna Sen’s 15 Park Avenue Depicted Mental Illness Without Romanticising It

More than 15 years since 15 Park Avenue came out, I doubt any other Indian film tailored sensitivity and accuracy with a poignant storyline on mental illness as beautifully as Aparna Sen managed to portray in 15 Park Avenue.

Prateek Sharma July 22, 2016

Pop Culture

Why Atrangi Re’s view of mental health made me furious

Filmmakers these days want to espouse social issues and stigmas but if Atrangi Re’s treatment of mental health is anything to go by, these issues would be better left to those who know a thing or two about it.

Takshi Mehta July 19, 2016

Love and Sex

He Was Depressed, I Needed Therapy. How Was Our Marriage Going to Survive?

My husband couldn’t get out of bed and spent most of his waking hours in silence or crying. He experienced panic attacks. Soon my empathy for him began morphing into a dark affirmation – I didn’t deserve this. Then I realised I needed therapy too.

Sangeetha Bhaskaran July 18, 2016

Sports

How Much Cricket is Too Much Cricket?

Virat Kohli has brought up the issue of how he and his teammates are overworked. When workers are overworked, it’s a labour law issue. In cricket, we call it entertainment.

Hardik Rajgor July 13, 2016

Health

Defying Depression: How I Mastered the Art of Numbness

My depression takes away my power of rational thinking. But I have words to hide behind, to make the most bleak day a thing of beauty. And in the absence of words, I have music.

Deepanwita De July 9, 2016

First Person

Healing in the Age of Agitation: How the Constant Protests and Tension in Delhi Affected My Mental Health

For students of JNU, the past couple of months have been full of despair. The protests meant we had to give up on our routine student life. Then on Jan 5, masked goons attacked us. The horror of that day lingers on. I’ve had sleepless nights and after a point could not bear to see images of bleeding students.

Paro Tomar June 12, 2016

First Person

40 Till I Die! How I Plan to Take the Pressure Off Middle Age

As I near my 40th birthday, I have realised that I am neither the sort to go crazy with champagne, nor be forlorn and regretful. So I’m celebrating “The Year of Magical Doing”, where I prioritise writing letters, reading short stories, collecting recipes – basically, doing everything I loved as a kid.

Sayantani Dasgupta June 9, 2016

Health

How I Convinced My Middle-Class Mind to Seek Therapy

The only reason it took me five years and 52 hours to get myself into a psychiatrist’s office was simple. I’m a middle-class Indian girl from a small town. Where I live, depression doesn’t exist. And therapy is expensive.

Dark Shark June 8, 2016

Coronavirus

Why the Weight of 2021 Feels More than 2020

Lockdown 2.0 has opened the floodgates to remnant anxiety from last year. The past year, in spite of the challenges that we were confronted with, we revelled in the novelty of the work-from-home life and the liberty it donned on us to pursue other interests. This time around, it feels like there is no imminent end to misery.

Sahej Marwah June 7, 2016

Health

Covid-19 is Making Me Suicidal. And I’m Not Alone

Covid-19 and the accompanying nation-wide lockdowns across the world, have worsened things for those with mental health issues. I’ve been diagnosed with multiple mental health disorders, and news about my classmate’s suicide made the encroaching darkness of this pandemic more opaque.

Soumya John June 7, 2016