What do you do when your body feels sick? You go to a doctor. And what do you do when your mind feels sick? You hide it. You conceal it, may be with big fake smiles, so that nobody knows the confounded state of your mind.

But why? Why do you feel guilty about having a psychological disorder? Why do people give amplified and numerous unwanted advices for a physical illness and seal their lips when it is a mental illness and whisper shallow things to fuel it more. Why everyone does give so much attention to even a blemish or boil, but not to the deep dent that is in your mind? Mental illness is not different from physical illness; both need treatment and care, both need love and patience, and both can happen to anyone.  Mental illness is not a joke. Depression is not to describe a heartbreak or a bad breakup while you listen to sad songs and write sad statuses; it is not having the motivation to even get up from your bed and take a bath, it is feeling the darkness take over you and being able to do absolutely nothing to stop it.

Eating disorders are not being conscious about your body and acting like a diva but it’s puking your guts out because your body weight disgusts you so much even if your ribs are showing and you always feel weak. Being bipolar is not being moody but it is being in a confounded state in which one moment you are on the top of the world and another you are in a pool of despair. Anxiety is not overreacting to everything; it is being triggered by even small things and not being able to stop yourself from unwinding those dark, panicked emotions. Stop telling people with mental illness “it is just a phase”, “you are just sad” or “get over it”, because this will not help. Your loved ones need you. Trust me, mental illness does not eat the person as much as people’s ignorance and stigma does. So be with them, help them get out of this and in no time you will see a new and a better person emerging, not only from the cured person but also one from within you.

Mehar Malhotra

Semester I-D, VSJMC