How Rat Race Affecting Our Mental Health?

Some 200,000 years ago when human beings started to evolve on this planet we never looked back, we’ve accomplished much in that short time. Our needs become much more advanced that it won’t be right to say it is just ‘Basic’. From advanced technologies to advanced health facilities, from jaw-dropping development to premium education, the long journey humanity has made. Isn’t it sound way happier?

But I want to remind you of something. Believe me or not we all are in a hamster cage running a rat race. And I want to say Congratulations! We’re trapped. Now we are in the same boat, Um! pardon me, the same cage. The horror Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

In the race, everyone is craving victory. We have a huge competition throughout our life whether it’s education, sports, technology and even in our family. In fact, even if we win, we’re still a rat. We (homo sapiens) are making ourselves mentally unhealthy or unfit.

Rat Race And Mental Health

Mental health describes our psychological behavior, emotional, social well-being. From Childhood to Adolescent it is important in every stage of life. It targets our thinking, feeling, and activity.

Happiness has now become our ultimate goal. We are acting like rats, enough is too little for us. With that being said, we’re overusing our brain capacity at a cost of mental illness. But who cares? we are just rats.

How Mental health Is Getting Worse?

According to WHO “around 450 million people have some mental disorder problem, and depression is going to be the second-largest disease worldwide. The global burden of mental health will beyond the treatment capacities of developed and developing countries.“

This isn’t just a statement. It’s the biggest challenge we all are facing. It’ll make your depression even more depressed. Our ignorance plays a vital role in helping mental illness get worse.

According to WHO “an estimate of 10%-20% of adolescents globally experienced mental health conditions, yet these remain undertreated.”

• Depression
• Trauma
• Anxiety
• Suicide
• Self-Isolation
• Sleepless Nights

These are the common determinants of mental health problems and some have major drawbacks that can cause self-harm and threat to life.

Issues With Mental Illness

Suicide

Suicide and Self-harm is the third leading cause of death in adolescent (14-19 year). 2016 Data estimates that around 62,000 adolescents died as a result of self-harm. Suicide is multifaceted, use of alcohol, abuse in childhood, rejections, etc. are the leading cause of it.

Not only children the job seekers, but students also remain under the pressure of education, jobs, rejection, and bullying. I would like to share one of the incidents from my neck of the woods.

The story is of my elder brother (in a relation), he was very brilliant and industrious. He owned a small transport business and work on his own farm as well. As he has a family he requested his father to provide the share that he earned working on the farm.

But they refused to share. Probably thinking that “he is still a student. Why would he need money?”. But he couldn’t tolerate that rejection and he turned to be an alcoholic. So his parents send him to a rehabilitation center for the second time. Due to this, he lost control of his mind. Several times he tried to hurt himself.

As of today, he still sometimes faces strange mental illness activities. I wonder, who was responsible for his condition? His family or he himself? What do you think?

Related Post: Here’s How money really can buy you happiness

Farmers’s Mental Health Needs Our Attention Too

Approx there are 570 million farmers worldwide and more than 90% of farms are run by an individual or family. Farmers will be needed more than ever to feed our growing population. Therefore, Farmer’s mental health needs our attention.

Because they’re more vulnerable to the effect of mental illness. Due to the fluctuation of demand and supply and price in the market, disease outbreaks, and government policies, they are bound to commit suicide and self-harm.

Farmers are more likely to die by suicide than in many other occupations.

I also come from a small farming background and I know a little about what they have to go through in their daily life. My family also faced a shortage of funds and a struggle for daily necessities.

I have seen my mother working on farms sowing the seeds and caring for the seeds like a mother do. We have to wait for a better result until the seed becomes mature and ready for reaping.

Even after all this, the majority of the time the result is always disheartening. Sometimes due to climate change and sometimes by the less demand in the market, the farmers always remain at loss.

The situation of farmers is so drastic in India that every day 28 people depending on farming died by suicide. It hurts more that, even before the world had heard of COVID-19 or social distancing, farmers’ mental health was already a significant issue.

Depression

WHO says “right now this is the most common disorder happening on the globe” around 264 million people are affected by Depression. Women are more affected than men. It can be Long lasting or recurring in nature. Sadness, less interest, laziness, poor concentration, etc. are the symptoms. During this coronavirus pandemic, a major rise has been noticed after the loss of many jobs and getting stuck in lockdown.

Depression can be so harmful that it can cause heart disease, and also the leading cause of obesity and social abuse, smoking, drugs, and sometimes Suicide.

What can be the Solution?

• Self-praise:- Valuing yourself, with kindness and respect avoiding guiltiness. Finding time for the hobbies, seating in the best surrounding, chatting with favorite ones who cares you rather than criticize.
• Finding time for yourself:- Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health- doing yoga, exercise, eating nutritious meals, avoiding cigarettes, get enough sleep, reading valuable books, etc. will bring you positive energy.
• Stress Management:- Stress is a part of life, our life can’t run at a single pace. Ups and downs are the part of it. you have to practice coping skills and be more mature about it. Rather than getting yourself into the addiction of smoke and drugs you have to be prepared for the situation and should fight until you find the solution.
• Share with your surroundings:- Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Many of us have this problem because we never share. We have to discuss this with our elders, family members, friends whom you think will provide you the best advice. And family members should also understand the problem rather than punishing or avoiding them.
• Avoid Overthinking:- Overthinking can happen to anyone that is why you must control it before it controls you. Don’t fall for the substances that seek to numb the mind and helps you forget everything. Instead, you can adopt these 8 simple but effective ways to stop overthinking and turn your negative thoughts and stress into something useful and productive.
• Don’t feel Alone:- You really need to know the difference between Being alone and Being lonely. Don’t fall for the fake images that celebrities put into their social walls. you never know the secret behind them.

Final Thoughts

Now, what do you think about yourself? are you in a rat race? or the Human race? It is said that every man is happy until happiness is suddenly a goal. Mental health is surely a big and difficult topic to talk about. Through this article, I just want to express my feeling about what I thought.

Whenever I find myself a little depressed, I always try to express my inner thoughts and I’m pretty sure there will always be one person who will understand me and help in overcoming the situation.

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Edited By:- Ritish Sharma

Artwork by:-Ridhi