#worldmentalhealthday2019

I try to find a Cafe Coffee Day when I am travelling. Serves all purposes. Best cappuccinos, lightly toasted sandwiches, clean toilets, air conditioned outlets with photo-friendly decor and friendly staff. Everyone in the family is happy. About happy. I wonder why the founder of the best coffee shop chain in India gave up his life?

Cafe Coffee Day set standards for a coffee shop across the country much before international coffee shops came in the scenario. It was and is still liked by anyone who visits it. I have been a coffee day loyal for the last 17 years. Anyone would have been envious of this person who owned majority stakes for 1700 odd coffee shops across 200 cities in India. It is also true that half the people who are talking about him, now that he is no more, wouldn’t have thanked him when he was alive. We can only introspect now. Nothing can be done to bring him back 😔.

Another one I, being a mother, can’t get out of my head is this: A young fatherless boy was found hanging by the noose in a hotel room one fine morning. A fine morning until he was found. His mother claimed he was in touch with her through instant messenger app till late in the night. He had told her that he was at a friend’s place watching the soccer game. She swears there wasn’t anything that he was worried about. (Anything that she knew about.) Obviously he was and so was V.G. Siddhartha.

These accidents cost lives for us to ask, what happened? There are many more living who we need to ask this. Depression and anxiety catch so many people. Mothers having postpartum depression, housewives worrying about her finances or joint family issues, working men and women under work pressure, students under peer pressure. It could be anyone we know, silently succumbing to the darkness that is pulling them.

To add, everyone’s life is glorified on social media. The online reality is the virtual reality. Unless people talk to one another in real, no one will know the face behind the screen. It is disheartening to know that the more we are connected with the world, the reality is that we are more disconnected with ourselves and with our loved ones. We have to be reminded by different hashtags to love and live our life.

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What can we possibly do on World Mental Health Day to make a healthier happier world? Let me start with one. Feel free to comment with other takeaway notes.

1. Talk to a real person.

A family member/friend/therapist. Why is talking about mental health such a taboo? We as a society shouldn’t see someone with depression as a life term patient. It could be short term low feeling that needs some one to help.