It’s okay to be not okay but one must seek recovery – Lessons on mental health in times of Coronavirus

By Reya Mehrotra

The Tokyo Olympics that concluded in August 2021 were special in more ways than one. India performed exceptionally well and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra brought home a gold medal. Several other Indian athletes won silver and bronze medals and made headlines for their extraordinary performance. But alongside the glittery sheen of the games emerged an important dialogue – that of the importance of mental wellbeing. We were reacquainted with the phrase ‘It’s OK not to be Ok’, thanks to Naomi Osaka and that became the defining mantra for prioritising mental health.

In fact, 2021 turned out to be the year when not one but many sports persons stirred the conversations around mental wellbeing and its impact on the player. Last year, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open citing mental health issues and confessed that she had been depressed since 2018. As for American gymnast Simone Biles, who confessed she was inspired by Osaka’s courage, the withdrawal from some of the events came as she prioritised her mental health yet won two medals at the Olympics. Previously decorated Olympian and swimmer Michael Phelps had opened up his struggle with depression owing to the pressures on him. Even the Indian cricket team captain, Virat Kohli, known for his passionate approach on ground, pulled out as the T20 Captain owing to ‘immense workload’ and acknowledged that he ‘needed to give himself space.’ However, the pressure to excel is not unique to sportspersons though its magnitude multiplies as one becomes a public figure and expectations rise. Anyone from any walk of life may feel the burden of succeeding – a student hoping to score well, an employee with work pressures, an entrepreneur, an artist, a businessman, and so on. As discussions around mental health have taken the centre stage, the importance of failures too has been noted. And as the new Covid wave disrupts our lives yet again, it is time to talk about mental wellbeing.

Losing is winning
National award winning 2019 film, Chhichhore starring late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor emphasised exactly that. Popular culture has historically depicted the protagonist or his team takes away the trophy and emerges on the winning end whereas the antagonist emerges as the loser. Contrary to this, Chhichhore depicted how the film’s lead and his friends proudly called themselves ‘losers’ and that they enjoyed the journey to win more than winning itself, proving the Machiavellian principle of ‘ends justifying the means’ wrong. As Anni, played by Rajput goes on to teach his son, who has attempted suicide for not making it to the IIT, the importance of failures, he reflects upon his own failures.

Holistic lifestyle coach – integrative and lifestyle medicine – Luke Coutinho rightly points out that losses must be taken as an opportunity to do better instead of setbacks and families must celebrate both the successes and the failures of their children gracefully so that their self-esteem and self-worth are not affected as they grow older. This brings one to the fact that in today’s time, along with the lesson on the importance of winning, the importance of losing must be instilled in young minds early on. Kanchan Rai, mental and emotional wellbeing coach, founder – Let Us Talk sums it up as ‘to fail is to learn and to learn is to succeed.’

In fact the two years of the pandemic have been the biggest teachers of mental health awareness in the current times. Apprehensions to talk about mental health have reduced, thanks to conversations aplenty on social media. The easy availability of mental health professionals virtually has opened doors for a change, distinguishing this global event from the others. After all, as British science journalist Laura Spinney puts it, “It is the first major pandemic to be digitally witnessed, first major pandemic which we have lived through since the internet and its access to everybody and so, it is different.”

Dr Shambhavi Samir Alve, developmental psychologist, clinical hypnotherapist, arts-based therapy practitioner and founder of Uurja Manifest the Light Within, a virtual holistic studio says that when one says they are not feeling well, we accept it but when one says they are not feeling well emotionally, we do not acknowledge it but that is changing now as people learn to open up. “We were masking our issues previously through social events and the fast-paced lifestyles but as the pandemic came, these privileges were snatched away and all the issues came to the fore also resulting in PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder either from their previous experiences or the current sufferings). But gradually we have come to terms with it.” In the last two years, she says, she has seen patients across age groups and across the country seeking professional help for their mental health. Begum Jerina Yeasmin, founder of Fighter Buzz, an online mental and emotional health counselling platform that was founded last year, says that they have seen a range of cases from domestic violence to depression, OCD to anxiety during the pandemic.

The altered course of life
Dr Alve’s statement stands true. The vulnerabilities and psychological difficulties that one had for long been suppressing were laid bare as isolation, lack of social interaction and confinement to homes became the new norm. On a larger note, it marked the end of the toxic hustle culture and a slowdown to the rat race and taught one that there is more to life than being a ‘go-getter’, ‘workaholic’ and glorifying overworking. Deloitte’s 2018 survey on 1000 full time working US professionals had highlighted how employee burnout was reaching its peak. The study titled ‘Workplace Burnout Survey’ revealed that 84% of millennials had experienced burnout at their current job, compared to 77% of all respondents and 91% of all respondents agreed to having an unmanageable amount of stress.
However, the past two years showed us that there could be an alternate slower life, waiting to be embraced – where living in sync with nature, minimalism, working at ease and pursuing one’s own interests came as perks. Dr Rai calls the current period a ‘pseudo-vacation’ where the lifestyle transition has been bringing therapeutic benefits physically and mentally.

But will the slow life pick up pace? Dr Nimesh G Desai, director of Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) and member secretary/CEO of State Mental Health Authority (SMHA), Delhi believes so. He talks about how historically, after major global events, the youth have taken time to reflect but eventually emerged stronger and more resilient as the value of bonds, collectivism and better career orientation have been realised. “I hope this time too, the same happens. I don’t think the slowdown will last. Innovation and improvements are human drives even though simplification of life has happened for now. Restlessness, depressions owing to the pandemic, unemployment are all short-term changes,” he shares.

He agrees that ‘It is ok not to be ok’ but this must be short lived and one must seek help and recovery. “It is important to have the courage to take a break and step away from it,” he adds.

In 2021, Iceland’s success with the 4-day week work trial gained global attention. But as for any developing country, reduced work hours and day might not do the trick. In India, the Central government’s new labour codes on wages, social security, industrial relations and occupation safety, health and working conditions, that are likely to be implemented soon also indicate a four day work week programme. However, business magnate Jack Ma of Alibaba Group endorses the opinion and has his rags to riches story as evidence. Jack Ma who has always believed in the hard-working spirit faced social media backlash when in 2019, he opined on the 996-work culture, that is 9 am to 9 pm and 6 days work a week. Though glorifying overworking might not fit the bill, Luke Coutinho says that there is no problem in running the rat race as “the more you take on in life, the stronger and healthier you need to be in mind, body, and spirit to handle all of
the extras.”

Keeping the current situation in mind, one can only hope to bid goodbye to the toxic work culture of the pre pandemic times. As a post pandemic future looks promising as it values mental health, accepts a hybrid work culture and believes in a work-life balance.

I don’t think the slowdown will last. Innovation and improvements are human drives even though simplification
of life has happened for now.”— Nimesh G Desai, director IHBAS

Losses must be taken as an opportunity to do better instead of setbacks and that families must celebrate both the successes and the failures of their children gracefully.”— Luke Coutinho, Holistic lifestyle coach