“Our Mental Health seriously affects our physical health. So, there should be no stigma around mental health, none at all.” – Michelle Obama
Mental health has always been a sensitive subject. Owing to the social stigma that has been attached to it for years, people did not treat it like a regular physical illness. But lately, more and more people have stepped out and shared their encounters with mental health and how it takes a toll on one’s overall well-being.
The current pandemic seems to have brought out this problem a lot more. With people losing their loved ones, jobs, and social interactions that are a vital part of one’s daily life, things tend to get hard. The education sector is no different. The new academic session has started and people are now attending online classes. Students have been in anticipation of college life– living away from home, meeting new people, and going out. But what they have gained is more screen time. The cut-throat competition that is prevalent nowadays has led to people always being on edge and pushing themselves beyond their limits. Trapped within the four walls of their homes, with deadlines and submissions constantly looming over their heads, the difficulty to cope with the pressure is understandable.
IIM Bodh Gaya has always been an advocate for mindfulness and aims to inculcate the same in its students, who are going to become leaders in the future. They launched their mindfulness centre called “Samatvam” (meaning ‘equanimity’) this year to create a space for their fraternity to attain equanimity in between the rush of a business school. This year around World Mental Health Day, the institute decided to partner with an online mental wellness program called “YourDost” where the students could seek guidance from trained professionals without hesitation. They have also announced, “Bodhi Pravah” - a weekly mindfulness session where students can participate in several activities ranging from ASMR (Automated Sensory Meridian Response) to meditation to name a few.
It is a welcome change to see educational institutions realizing the importance of emotional well-being along with physical well-being, especially in these testing times. However, taking initiatives on an organizational level is not enough.
People need to take a break themselves and understand that slowing down is not a sign of inefficiency. Take time off your work life. Switch off your brain for a while and take up a hobby. A sedentary lifestyle is not beneficial for health, so doing a little bit of outdoor liveliness can be a good idea. But most importantly, accepting your issues and seeking help for them should be normalized. Breaking the taboo around mental health is very important and the generation Z being more open about it builds a hope that things are only going to get better.
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