Editor
October 10 is observed as World Mental Health Day. Do we know the state of our mental health? All of us pay attention to physical health only. Most of us are unaware that we should take care of our mental health too and since we pay little or no attention to our mental health we are observing an epic rise in mental illness which impact our social and family life as well putting stress on the existing medical infrastructure. Most under-developed and developing countries like India do not have the bare minimal infrastructure to deal with the challenges of mental health. We do not have enough qualified and experienced psychiatrists, psychologists, councillors, mental health trained nurses or medical personnel and staff to tackle the challenges of both patients and would be patients.
In the past two years we have been through the global pandemic and many got impacted due to acute isolation for months together. Not only did we experience social, cultural, economic and physical challenges; but we have been also severely impacted emotionally too. This has been a challenging time for all of us; more so for our numerous helpless senior citizens and countless babies and young children who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic around the globe. Although now the COVID-19 infection graph is going downhill, but cases of mental health have taken an accelerated growth across the planet as a long term impact of this devastating pandemic. This has affected people across age and gender. I am sure many of us would have understood and learnt lessons on mental health.
Psychologists have cautioned on the long term impacts of human mental health across developed and developing nations. But we have failed to take appropriate measures as we were too focused on the physical side of the illness and treating them. But effective treatment of mental health is still a distant goal.
Undoubtedly the pandemic has brought many positive changes and people have started cultivating good habits. To be mentally healthy we should engage in positive activities and have a friend’s circle or be part of a peer-support group. To do so we need good social and communication skills to interact with other people outside our comfort zone. It is very important to meet and greet other people physically; and not just virtually. It is also important to know our close and distant family members and neighbours. Helping others in need is good for mental health as studies have shown.
There are people around us that are looking for company and a listening ear. We can be their comfort by lending a listening ear. An active life that includes some free hand exercises, yoga, pranayam and brisk walking can bring positive changes for our mental health if we are suffering from anxiety, depression, frustrations, anger, emotional outbursts, irritability and melancholy. A daily cycle of meditation for at least 5 minutes in the morning when we wake up or before we go to sleep can start showing positive impacts on our mental health. A regular life style with food low in carbohydrates but rich in seasonal fruits and green leafy vegetables are very helpful. Let’s also avoid addition to tobacco products, hard and soft drinks, tea and coffee or addiction to TV, smartphones and laptops. Instead let’s take up reading books as a habit. It will help us sleep better.
It is so important to have a hobby that engages us mentally, physically and intellectually such as watching good movies, reading quality books, traveling, or any kind of sports or writing diary, poems, stories or novels or anything else that we love doing. Those will vary from one individual to another. When we feel low or depressed it is good to seek help from a qualified mental health practitioner. Let’s not neglect mental health issues. We owe it to ourselves!
Yours etc,.
Saikat Kumar Basu
Kolkata – 45
Alarming rise in stray dogs & a complacent Municipality
Editor,
The recently published letter captioned – “Rampaging dogs in Laitumkhrah” (ST, Oct 13, 2022) by an 11-old boy, Kian Peter Pde, must put the Shillong Municipality office and so-called ‘Animal Lovers’ to shame. This sportive boy put across to all the Shillongites how even small children are regularly bitten by stray dogs and the pangs and trauma thereafter. Perhaps Master Pde has become the youngest contributor to The Shillong Times. This also shows the “desperation” of parents who must have asked their son to write to The Shillong Times to reveal the ground realities. Now the question is, has this letter woken up the Shillong Municipality from its slumber? As yet, nothing has been heard.
Well, Master Pde could afford the rabies vaccines, but what about the children of the daily laborers/vendors who do not have even Rs 500 in their pockets? This is the practical reality. On a daily basis, they become the victims of crowds of canines. Will Shillong still turn its deaf ears to this growing threat? Often people raise money in the locality to help those poor victims for their vaccination.
Similar angst and anger has also been expressed by another resident Adrialli Lyngdoh through her letter — “Animal lives over human lives” (ST, October 10, 2022). She underlined how alarming the situation has become due to the increasing number of stray dogs and how animal lovers never bother to press the alarm bell when people fall prey to stray dogs. Of course, it sounds apparently hypocritical.
One gentleman retorts: “Why do those animal lovers shed tears only for dogs and not for other animals? It is completely illogical and unethical too. I believe goats, cows, sheep, horses, birds and dogs should be treated with equal sympathy and compassion. Even the ecologists say that. I do not subscribe to non-vegetarian animal lovers (pun intended).” It is very clear that we need to have more shelter homes. Animal lovers should rather put consistent pressure upon the government for that.
I find it worthwhile to quote what a concerned mother, Mona Lyngdoh said in her letter (ST, October 12, 2022). She burst out in anger – “To all the dog lovers concerned, if my daughter becomes a victim of a dog bite (God forbid!) or any other human being, for that matter, will they come forward to empathize with us emotionally/financially? My humble request to all dog lovers/dog owners- if you love them, keep them grounded within prescribed boundary limits!”
Of course, public safety has become a serious concern in the town. Parents shudder in fear when their kids run out of their homes these days. In many localities, people have to risk their lives to reach home at night as packs of dogs might attack them on the way. About three months ago, in one week’s time at Upper Mawprem and Jhalupara, more than twenty people were bitten by stray dogs, especially at night. The situation is utterly frightening.
At this critical juncture, if the Shillong Municipality still loafs about and remains complacent, the authorities who are running it will be fully culpable. Their incompetence will then be questionable, and they should be replaced with competent officers having a sense of responsibility, humaneness and compassion.
Also, appropriate action must be taken against those pet keepers who leave their dreadful pets out. The owners must be heavily penalized if their dogs bite others. Let’s love human beings as much as we (pretend) to love animals.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
(Member of the International Human Rights Commission), Shillong