The normalcy till December 2019 is dearly missed by the people across the globe, with no restrictions, stepping out at any time of the day, be it to simply hang out with friends or to sit and have a little “me time” at the café. The sudden outbreak of the deadly virus has affected people of all age groups. The normalcy was an excuse for some to escape the toxic environment of home and take a break from the reality. Alas, 2020 wasn’t in their favour.

Since the lockdown had been implement worldwide, the aim was to eradicate the spread of the virus and eventually, the virus itself. Confining themselves at home, the mental health wasn’t given much of a thought, with the routine life coming to a halt altogether.

For children, they found comfort and pastime in extreme exposure in front of Television screens, and gadgets supporting the usage of internet. In a study it was found for such a prolonged exposure can lead to lower the child’s self-esteem with the internet proving out to lead in an addiction disorder in many. With limited external interaction, the “indoor pollution” can affect the development of a child and hence results in limited cognitive abilities. Internet is a home to cyberattacks as we as cyber bullying, henceforth, affecting the mental of a child. Therefore, the children plunge themselves in an ocean of depression, anxiety, avoidance behaviour and even PTSD. The same set of problems are faced by children who have been confined in the hospitals from being infected by the deadly virus, especially with the rise of reports in children being sexually harassed during the confinement, the child lives through a traumatic experience without anyone to turn into, apart from their family takes a toll on the child.

A drastic impact proved to be on students and adults living away from home and migrant laborers stranded in their temporary homes, for those living on rent, it put them in a tough situation for them to pay the rent before the regulation of work from home came into effect.  Most adults drove into the decoy of satisfaction by online pornography. The disruption in most people’s sexual lives persuaded the individuals to use such platform to cope up from the on-going stress of rendered jobless with a deadly virus outbreak, living afar from their beloveds, which sadly could lead to depressive symptoms.

Another age group drastically affected by this were the elderly and sick. For those who were assigned caregivers to look after the sick, now were rendered helpless and alone in their homes. Such people are also known to have a higher risk of acquiring an infection, and for those who continued with their jobs were left in wonderment if they weren’t the carriers of the infection which could affect them and their families.

This year also saw an alarming rise within the cases of Domestic Violence alone. Between March 25 and May 31, 2020, 3,11,477 complaints were recorded which were made by women. The complaints recorded within a 68-day period were higher than those recorded between March and May in last 10 years. Delhi and U.P. saw the highest number of complains, followed by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. According to the data, 86% of women who were victims to the violence during that period never sought help, 77% victims didn’t mention the dreadfulness of the situation to anyone.  Women faced Physical, Sexual and even both. The highest number of sufferers documented were the ones who faced Sexual Abuse, which summed up to about 80.6 who never dared to tell anyone. For those who had reported the incidents were 14% but only 7% reached out to relevant authorities, but more than 90% of the victims sought help only from their immediate family.

A study was conducted by a team of researchers via an online survey which was proliferated over the social media between May 9 to May 15, 2020, using an anonymous Google form. The team used items like anxiety, depressive symptoms, symptoms of internet addiction, pornography addiction, experiences of hostility, changes in food and sleep habits, social empathy and relationship quality, to construct the overall picture of social and psychological experience during the lockdown period. They also conducted 14 qualitative interviews from May 10 to May 17, 2020. The subjects were self-selected by broad social media invitations. The survey included a total of 282 Indian adults, in which ¾ of people belonged to the age group of 30 years and younger. Following the figures, 88% were educated beyond the 12th standard about 81% were urban residents.

The concluded with depressive symptoms, higher amongst those who an addiction towards pornography. The presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was expected and linked to a higher chance of self-reported sleep disorder and changes in food patterns. For those who were connected with their loved ones and shared their vulnerabilities shoed more social empathy and better social relationships.

The researchers concluded by stating, “To our knowledge, this is the first study to look at the differential psychological impact of the lockdown across different social groups in India. Our study also highlighted a few positive aspects of the lockdown, underscoring the increase in social empathy and strengthened social bonds among Indian adults.”

Image source-https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/hidden-symptoms-of-stress.html

The Coronavirus Can Be Airborne Indoors, W.H.O. Says

"We have been talking about the possibility of airborne transmission and aerosol transmission as one of the modes of transmission of COVID-19," Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead on the COVID-19 pandemic at the WHO, told a news briefing."

• The World Health Organization has acknowledged that there's possibility of coronavirus being spread in the air under certain conditons


• The UN body releases new guidelines on COVID-19 transmission, including new scientific evidence available on the spread of the SARS-CoV-2

The coronavirus may linger in the air in crowded indoor spaces, spreading from one person to the next, the World Health Organization acknowledged on Thursday.

The W.H.O. had described this form of transmission as doubtful and a problem mostly in medical procedures. But growing scientific and anecdotal evidence suggest this route may be important in spreading the virus, and this week more than 200 scientists urged the agency to revisit the research and revise its position.

In an updated scientific brief, the agency also asserted more directly than it had in the past that the virus may be spread by people who do not have symptoms: “Infected people can transmit the virus both when they have symptoms and when they don’t have symptoms,” the agency said.

The W.H.O. previously said asymptomatic transmission, while it may occur, was probably “very rare.” Some experts said both revisions were long overdue, and not as extensive as they had hoped.

“It is refreshing to see that W.H.O. is now acknowledging that airborne transmission may occur, although it is clear that the evidence must clear a higher bar for this route compared to others,” Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech, said in an email.

An aerosol is a respiratory droplet so small it may linger in the air. In its latest description of how the virus is spread, the agency said transmission of the virus by aerosols may have been responsible for “outbreaks of Covid-19 reported in some closed settings, such as restaurants, nightclubs, places of worship or places of work where people may be shouting, talking or singing."

The guidelines stated that understanding how, when and in what types of settings the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads between people is critical for developing effective public health and infection prevention measures to break chains of transmission. WHO said current evidence suggests that COVID-19 transmission occurs primarily through direct, indirect, or close contact with infected individuals through their saliva and respiratory secretions, or through their respiratory droplets expelled when they cough, sneeze, talk or sing. The agency also said that asymptomatic people can also spread the virus to others, although it is still unclear to what extent this occurs and more research is needed in this area.

WHO stressed that high-quality research is urgently needed to understand the role of airborne spread of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the absence of aerosol-generating procedures, the dose of virus required for transmission to occur, the settings and risk factors for superspreading events, as well as the extent of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission. In this article, let us tell you how airborne transmission is different from droplet transmission and what you can do to stay safe from respiratory infections such as COVID-19.

What you can do to prevent contracting respiratory infections?

In the current scenario,

• it’s always best to wear a mask while venturing out in crowded areas to keep respiratory infections away.


• Try to keep at least 3 feet physical distance and wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.


• Do not touch your face unnecessarily.


• Practice respiratory etiquette.


• Avoid crowded places, close-contact settings and confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.


• Ensure appropriate environmental cleaning and disinfection.


• To maintain immunity, opt for Indian square meal and exercises like Surya Namaskar and Pranayam or any other cardiorespiratory fitness regimen. It can help your cardio-respiratory fitness and lowers blood pressure as well. Moreover, it also increases cardio-respiratory efficiency and respiratory capacity.


• To prevent transmission, WHO recommends identifying suspect cases as quickly as possible, testing, and isolating all cases (infected people) in appropriate facilities.

It is out there to be serious about mental health these days, specially with the numerous cases of suicides which been rising. But how aware are the citizens of India about the exodus of children who have been victims of PTSD amidst the political insurgency for decades?

Kashmir, a pulchritudinous state of India, now declared as a union territory (UT) has been a victim of the political skirmish which has, in turn, diddled the indigenous beings of Kashmir leading to death of thousands of people including family members, sexual abuse, damage to property and various natural disasters, namely- earthquake and snowstorms. According to reports, majority of the people suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). As the name suggests, the psychiatric disorder arises in wake of traumatic events. The events are digested and affect each person differently. 

In Kashmir, majority of the children are diagnosed with PTSD. The age group to which these children belong to were above 6 years of age and maximum belonged to 11-15 years of age. The children diagnosed with Abnormalities in brain electrical activity on electroencephalogram were also noted. Children with PTSD were found to perform poorly by affecting their attention, abstract reasoning and executive functioning. Children diagnosed with PTSD were detected in schools because of their behavioural changes and their deteriorate performances. Maximum minors affected belong to rural areas as compared to the urban areas.  Following the figures, 75% of the children belonged to the lower middle class, followed by middle class which entailed 25% respectively. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder consists of risk factors which affects the children to a great extent; lower educations, lower intelligence, absence to social support, sexual harassment, lower socio-economic status, family history of psychiatry illness, multiple traumatic events- are some of the risk factors. Unfortunately, 49% of the children have been witnesses to death of a family member or close friends, followed by arrest, torture of a close relative or being caught up in cross-firing and hearing about the death of a close relative. It is absolutely unimaginable as to what the future of this country has to go through. Kashmir has been regarded as the place called “heaven on earth” but the heaven contains a hell within which largely ignored. Amidst this turmoil , the emphasis ought to be put on the psychological distress, a scar invisible yet the power of changing the entire personality of the human being, affecting the course of their actions and changing the outlook of life, for life.

The destruction of educational infrastructure, in addition to the unlawful detentions, leaves a lifelong impact on children, perpetuating a cycle of trauma, fear and bitterness. The literacy rate in Kashmir is 54.4% as compared to some parts of India, which have resulted in 65% 

The following 3 dimensions which were focussed were shown by the affected for a month which proved them to have paediatric PTSD- 

1. The affected re-experienced the event with deteriorate recollections in the form of dreams, flashbacks, with psychological and psychical distress.

2. They persistently avoided the stimuli associated with trauma that might recall the memories or events of the trauma.

3. There was also an increase in arousal in the form of hyper vigilance and exaggerated startled response, experienced difficulty in sleep, irritability.

In children older than 6 years, there was a repetitive play occurred in which themes or aspects of traumatic events were expressed. They also experienced frightening dreams without recognizable content, a dream which the minors aren’t able to express and even dissociative reactions (eg flashbacks) in which they felt the traumatic events were recurring. Such reactions may occur in continuum, and the most extreme expression of their feeling is expressed by complete loss of awareness of the present reactions.

The unfortunate events lead to persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs about the oneself, others and even the world. In other words, they express themselves by stating, “I am Bad”, “The world is bad and dangerous”, “My whole life is ruined” or “My entire nervous system is ruined”. This leads them to have distorted cognition about the cause and consequences of the events which leads them to blame themselves or others for it.

In order to recover from this the children are subjected to maladaptive method of coping. It was recorded that females prefer for maladaptive method of coping more than males who were associated with PTSD in Kashmir. Most of these patients were even aware what they suffering from and indulged in self-medication, for even somatic issues which included headaches, stomach aches, palpitations, breathlessness, anxiety, panic attacks, loss of appetite etc, which eventually leads to addiction. Popularly benzodiazepine, opioids, and cannabis. In contrast to world reports, alcohol was the used the least (4.8%).

Amidst this turmoil, the children residing in a place regarded as “heaven on earth” go through hell every single day. Not a single day can they have a goodnight’s sleep, a sleep without the fret of being a victim to the worst thought of never seeing the face of a family member anytime. three-year-old boy described the sequence of events leading to the killing of his grandfather. The minor had been subjected to extreme events, events from which even veterans aren’t able to cope up from.  

Picture reference: https://medium.com/@ovaiskarni /psychological-impact-of-armed-conflict-on-kashmiri-children-97c76e77bef1

Writing about the members of a community which has been facing prejudices from time immemorial is not easy. The apartheid faced are intense which can easily destruct the very person’s mental stability, driving them to take a step as of taking their own lives. Even whilst the death of an actor has enraged millions which drove everyone to post the trending hashtag #mentalhealthmatters  makes them believe it will help those suffering. At some point of time we all have conjectured people, especially the hijras, from whom we’ve been taught maintain as much distance as we can. But why so? Are they genuinely forgetting about shiv and shakti or trying to ignore it?

Everything happens for a reason; our very existence, actions, everything.  Symbolism exists everywhere around as well in us. The union of Shiv and Shakti is one of the most thunderous and beautiful unification which represents numerous ideologies, one of them symbolising the third gender; transgender, similarly symbolising the importance of gender and harmony amongst them.

Recently, a boy from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh committed suicide, why? Because apparently, he had feminine features and continued to live in a toxic environment in which his relatives and batchmates continued to bully him. According to his father, he sometimes used to apply make up and dance which he claimed to be a normal behaviour for a person of his age. His classmates drove him to believe he was a transgender. His note read as,

 “I’m sorry papa as I could not be a good son. I have girl-like features and even my face is like them. People laugh at me. Even I have started feeling that I am kinnar (transgender). My life will darken your life and that is the reason why my death is necessary. Please bless me that I take birth as a girl. If a girl is born in our family, then you must believe that I have returned.”

This not only highlights the dark side of the society but also how a school fails to broaden a child’s perspective. During the initial stages it is the parents from whom the child is most influenced by, and eventually, the school is the place where they broaden the perspective. How can idiosyncrasies be changed when the root problem hasn’t been addressed.

Even though India claims to be republic, it still consists of the certain marginalized communities which have been disfranchised and are made even more vulnerable, rendering them helpless. There are numerous other cases which imply the toxicity against the LGBT community.

Whilst travelling in a metro, I overheard a woman, in her late 40s, saying how thankful she was that her kids were “normal” and that her daughter and son were heterosexual. The very aspect of normalcy is befouling. People are not judged for the very nature they possess but on the preference of their sexuality. The war of their rights will unfortunately continue. Even after the abolishment of article 377, they do not have the freedom to celebrate their love by marrying the person they love, even after independence, it was a long journey for them to finally free themselves from the “indictment” and openly express their love, and still have a long journey ahead of them.

The shocker waved across the country, when one the most adroit and determined actors of Bollywood at age 34 is lost. Reminiscing the actors’ time, the directors as well as his colleagues are rendered speechless by the very step taken by the actor. No one has the answer as to why such a prospering actor would decide to take his own life whist at the apex of his life, with so much ahead for him to see.  What seemed unusual is that the movies for which the actor worked for were quite inspirational and has an impact on one’s life. The question which needs to be answered is one word; why?

One sentence which is often quite iterated as to why such a talented actor, who was “at the peak of his career” or who had a wonderful career” would be forced to take such a step? This not implies the façade one is forced to put on but also the mentality of the customary society that only an aspiring career can lead to one’s happiness.

A career prospect is only a part of life not the life itself. A successful alumnus of DTU with an aspiring career in acting. When will the society understand the difference between life and career and not amalgamate the two? Mental issues are not an excuse, a smile on the face is not always true.

With the progression of importance of mental health, India has yet a long run to count. Amidst the devastating situation of the pandemic, people were either left absolutely alone with an environment entailing their loneliness or with were stuck in a toxic environment surrounding the person while the others remained unaware of the situation. It’s okay not to be okay, speaking up before giving up is something we mall must request. Everyone has they’re on backstory, carrying an invisible load of problems we all might be unaware of. This is also emphasizes on the importance of companionship, something quite popularly known as "work family."

According to reports, prescriptions for depression pills were found at the Sushant Singh’s home.  It has to be understood the pills are only a temporary solution to a broader problem. While it is emphasized that yoga is a solution to almost every problem a homo sapiens may experience, the youth simply thinks it of hocus pocus or that it’s something which their generation wouldn’t indulge in. Rest assured, a simple meditative exercise and a person of trust to talk to can work wonders. Just Speak up before you Give up.

"Depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, we don't know the end. The fog of Depression is like a cage without a key. But we can look for another door to enter the world of sunflowers. So, Talk about it."

That's what we say. 

We speak &  write about empathy & kindness but we never talk about the process after that?

Have you ever thought about the cost of a  'single good therapy session'?

Approx. Rs. 5000/session.(minimum)

Do we have the courage to acknowledge how inaccessible and unaffordable therapy is for most of us?

What after one decides to get help, after going through the painful process of articulating the problem to their close ones?

  So, the next step is shelling out an obscene amount of money for just one session.

 For those of us who are not financially independent yet, it is legitimately impossible to afford mental healthcare without the support of the family.

I remember one of my college mate asking for financial help for treating her Bipolar Disorder as her parents didn't support her? So, support is rare & even though there is support, the amount of burden to make the most out of the first session itself overthrows the very objective of therapy. 

If there is a disconnect with the first therapist one visits, the disappointment and guilt is an immense setback, and a large part of it is because of the associated financial limitation. The onus of 'success' is on the person who needs help when it should be the other way round. 

Mental health problems compound daily. It takes months and years of nurtured therapy to handle them, and unfortunately, that is out of reach for most of us today. It is our responsibility to be kind and empathetic, to check in on friends – but it's also important to understand their financial limitations.

They cannot be a substitute for therapy.  Even when they want to help, they don't have the resources or the expertise to go all the way. 

If we don't work towards making quality mental healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone, these well-meaning passages amount to nothing. 

We lost one of the creative souls & the need of the hour is to address the structural scars that push people to a juncture of no return. Rest in Peace, Sushant Singh Rajput. 

 HAPPY OR SAD: THE CHEMISTRY BEHIND DEPRESSION

“The human life is made up of choices. Yes or No. In or Out. Up or Down. Live or Die. Hero or Coward. I’ll say it again to make sure you hear me. The human life is made up of choices. Live or die. That’s an important choice. And it’s not always in our hands.”

-Derek Shepherd, Season 6, Episode 24.

Genetic makeup influences how sensitive you are to stressful life events. When genetics, biology, and stressful life situations come together, depression can result.

Stress has its own physiological story with a chain of chemical reactions and responses in the body. 

People with suicidal thoughts exhibit higher levels of Translocator Protein, associated with microglial activation and indicating inflammation of the brain in a region of the cortex which is involved in emotional processes.

The long story of stress causes the low secretion of Serotonin ‘the happy neurotransmitter’, which increases the higher risk of suicide

Dopamine, ‘the motivational chemical’ and Noradrenaline, ‘fight-to-fight chemical’ acts as ‘magical wand’ to reinforce pleasure.

Our thoughts regulate chemical processes. We can’t let negativity dominate us. 

The loss of creative soul, Sushi Bhai who won hearts through ‘ Chichore’ actually sparked mainstream media to talk about ‘ Mental Illness’. We need to make ‘therapy’ the ‘New Norm’. It’s okay not to be okay!

 “The world could learn from Taiwan’s success in responding to the coronavirus pandemic, yet it doesn’t have a seat at the World Health Organization.”

On Monday, May 18, representatives of 194 countries gathered virtually for one of the most important public health meetings in recent memory. A country thought to have had one of the best public health responses to the coronavirus pandemic—Taiwan was not invited. 
Taiwan attended the assembly as an observer from 2009 to 2016 but China blocked further participation after the election of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, whom China views as a separatist, an accusation she rejects. 
Taiwan is not a member of the WHO as China has opposed its entry into international bodies. Taiwan was the first to begin screening passengers from Wuhan, starting December 31. 
Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations (UN) or its sub-organizations, but it aspires to participate. China also claims Taiwan as part of its territory and denies that Taiwan is a sovereign state. China is adamant about preventing recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign state and its membership in the UN system. Like other U.N. organizations, the WHO considers Taiwan a part of the People’s Republic of China and excludes its government from membership. This, critics say, is detrimental to global cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Taiwan has emerged as one of the most effective countries in combating the disease. Taiwan and its defenders have strongly criticized the WHO and its director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for being overly deferential to Beijing.
 China, officially called the People’s Republic of China (PRC), refuses to allow that to happen. The PRC claims that Taiwan is a province of China, not an independent state. It says that only the PRC has the right to represent all of China in the United Nations and other international organizations, including the WHO, that limit membership to states. Taiwan’s government, generally called the Republic of China on Taiwan, has all the elements of statehood required by international law and maintains diplomatic relations with fifteen countries. Yet due to the PRC’s great-power status, including its seat as a permanent UN Security Council member, Beijing has been able to impose its “One China” policy upon the world.
 
In the early days of the outbreak, health officials in Taipei say the WHO ignored their warnings—based on communication with mainland colleagues—that the disease could be transmitted between humans, slowing the global response to the growing threat. Instead, in mid-January, the organization issued a now-infamous endorsement of China’s finding that there was no human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan. The WHO continued to praise China’s handling of the virus throughout January, despite abundant evidence that authorities were covering up the severity of the situation in Wuhan. This praise was especially stark in contrast to the organization’s criticism of China during SARS. Taiwan has had remarkable success in combating the virus. More than two months after COVID-19 arrived on the island, it has seen only 380 cases and five deaths. Yet its health officials remain frozen out of emergency meetings and briefings at the main organization coordinating the global response to the pandemic. (In a painfully awkward interview with a Hong Kong journalist, one senior WHO official seemed to pretend not to hear the question and then insisted on moving on when asked about Taiwan.)

Why is Taiwan’s exclusion a problem, especially during the coronavirus pandemic?

Taiwan is an important stakeholder and a valuable partner in fighting this unprecedented crisis. Taiwan’s government is donating masks to countries in need and sharing its experience using technology to investigate outbreaks. It is also working with U.S. experts to develop more rapid diagnostic test kits and vaccines.
Despite Taiwan’s valuable input, the WHO continues to shun it. For example, when asked by a journalist about Taiwan’s exclusion and experience dealing with the pandemic during a recent interview, WHO senior advisor Bruce Aylward hung up the call after trying to avoid the questions. After this public relations disaster, the WHO claimed it was closely working with Taiwan experts, which Taiwan’s government refuted. Taiwan has continually shared coronavirus data with the WHO, but the WHO has never released this information to its members. Additionally, in a February coronavirus status report, the WHO misreported the number of cases in Taiwan based on information provided by China. It also continues to deceptively list Taiwan’s case numbers under China’s. Taiwan was snubbed by the WHO yet again when it was not invited to the organization’s emergency meetings in January. After repeated requests, in February, the WHO finally allowed two Taiwanese experts to attend an online forum. Such ludicrous limitations have rightly been scoffed at by many governments and critics.
The WHO’s exclusion of Taiwan from the global fight against the pandemic is a reckless dereliction of duty. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, whose election was due in large part to China’s support, has been widely criticized for actions that appeared to help China downplay the outbreak, delaying the international response as a result. Taiwan’s exclusion is an example of how the world’s health body puts politics before public health. Governments and concerned citizens must demand that the WHO fulfill its obligation—to represent the world’s health interests, not China’s—and hold the WHO accountable when it fails.
Wu said that Taiwan had agreed the issue of its participation would be put off until later in the year so the shorted assembly can focus on the coronavirus.
"Understandably, countries want to use the limited time available to concentrate on ways of containing the pandemic," he said.
"For this reason, like-minded nations and diplomatic allies have suggested that the proposal be taken up later this year when meetings will be conducted normally, to make sure there will be a full and open discussion," Wu added.

U.S AND TAIWAN

The United States has attempted to maximize Taiwan’s involvement in international relations and has, without success, supported Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in various institutions, including the World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO’s highest decision-making body. In March 2020, the Donald J. Trump administration enacted the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act, aimed at supporting Taiwan’s international presence. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the State Department would “do [its] best to assist” Taiwan’s “appropriate role” in the WHO.
 Nearly 15 countries, including Belize, Guatemala, the Marshall Islands,, and Honduras, had written to the director-general of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, asking that the question of Taiwan's participation be added to the agenda.
But on Monday Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu said "countries want to use the limited time available to concentrate on ways of containing the pandemic".

"We have accepted the suggestion from our allies and like-minded nations to wait until the resumed session before further promoting our bid," Wu said. He added that allies had suggested instead the proposal be taken up later in the year when the WHO is expected to hold in-person meetings. The calls for Taiwan to join the meetings had angered Beijing.