Tuesday, October 16, 2012

HEALTH SPECIAL.... No shame in going to a shrink!



No shame in going to a shrink!
    While the city has witnessed four suicides in the last three days, an alarming 63 % of urban India has considered it. The only way out is for people to be more open to seeking help from psychotherapists and psychiatrists. Health experts in the city say that people’s outlook towards visiting a shrink may be changing, but the process is too slow. The word depression is used so often these days that people fail to distinguish between the sort that needs to be treated and the one that’s a phase. Clinical psychologist Seema Hingorarny says, “Passing mood swings that you snap out of cannot be termed as depression. People often use this word when they are feeling low” Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Varkha Chulani says, “There’s depression caused due to a chemical imbalance, treated by medication. Then there are people who commit suicide because they have lost hope temporarily.”
PARENTS AND FAMILY NEED TO MOTIVATE THE PATIENT
    
It’s often the stigma they face in society that deters depressed patients from seeking help. Says Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist Dr Dayal Mirchandani, “Whether it’s the family or family doctors, they have to tell a patient that he needs help. Sometimes doctors end up prescribing medicines in the fear of losing their patient, which can be harmful if an expert is not consulted.” Varkha feels, “People should understand that opting for therapy doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you. Patients should first approach a psychotherapist, who will tell them if they need to approach a psychiatrist. ”
CONFUSION BETWEEN HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS
    
Varkha feels that the reason so many people suffer from depression is because they pursue things that they feel with make them happy. “However, once they’ve achieved them they don’t get the happiness they expected and feel let down.”
YOUNGER GENERATION IS OPEN TO CHANGE
    
Seema says, “Those below 35 years are open to seeking counseling, but older people often live in denial. They refuse to believe they suffer from depression. Often a psychatirst can’t immediately tell the person that he/ she is depressed because we know they will get defensive and may not want to undergo therapy. The worry of  being termed as a mad person  haunts them.”
Harshada Rege BT1211011

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