Skip to main content

Push the "Fight, not flight button"!!

September 10 marks World Suicide Prevention day every year! This day began to be observed in 2003. Every individual has either undergone some trauma or been undergoing a bad experience over a period of time. 

The pandemic has worsened the situation, isolating people more. Work-from-home jobs, no-socializing, and no-human touch have increased cases of depression, and suicide has become a common buzzword now. Counselling centres are buzzing with ever ringing telephone lines and more people reaching out to counsellors, parenting coaches and life coaches for help. Everyone has been affected - celebs to commoners - none have been spared of depression. Social media is abuzz with videos of experts giving tips on happiness and gurus conducting wellness sessions. Motivational groups have mushroomed on Whatsapp, Telegram and other chat group apps. Motivational quotes are shared daily on Whatsapp statuses and Facebook as a morning and evening ritual. A sense of stagnancy and feeling of being stuck has seeped in people who are slowly losing focus and purpose to live in life. This is when individuals have begun choosing the "flight" in between the former and "fight" - flight symbolizing the need to escape somewhere and fight to symbolize how to remain in the situation using coping mechanisms. Mostly, people lose the will to "fight" and press the "flight" button. Pushing the flight button for most means leaving the world. Ironically, in most cases, it is the family which is the last to know why the person committed suicide. So, let's talk, begin a discussion, make a call and vent! It is a plea to all families, friends and relatives to look out for near and dear ones - call them! Your loved ones may or may not be in distress but your call may remind them "fight" is the only button they should press and not the "flight" button.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hug and Kiss ‘em & Hold ‘em close to you!

From the moment I conceived, it was my fantasy to have a super tactile bond with my child after he/she would be born (for the longest possible time, I felt it would be a girl!). After my son was born, things became different and the first three months were extremely painful feeding him or holding him thanks to my C-section stitches. So all maternal feelings vanished into thin air and all I could think was sleep or having “me-time”.  There was hardly a chance to cuddle up with him! Post partum depression had hit me big time and me not being able to calm down a screaming infant had dipped my morale too. Motherhood was nothing like I had imagined it would be! Besides I was terrified that my son would not accept me if I didn’t develop a bond early on. Of course, that did not happen. It was a mom’s fear that had spoken. After he entered the infamous toddler phase, I became the quintessential “villain” for my son – the usual don’t do this and that. Yet again, my dreams of becoming...

Memoirs: My first 7 years as a scribe: ups and downs

Remembered an old blog of mine: I complete seven long years in journalism in August 2011. I wonder what I have gained and what I have lost. Let us begin on a positive note: what have I gained? An identity of my own (of being a scribe), working on my terms (that's a bit ironical, though!), writing (which was my childhood dream and I do intend to be a successful writer someday), and finally I have managed to reach a senior level (that is also ironical...I would ask: at what cost?). What do I do with seniority and a high paying job when I am still not doing what I always wanted to do? (Delhiites would say, toh kya hua! iska achar daalun kya main?...in literal terms, it would mean: Should I 'pickle' (achar) the salary and designation?). So what have I lost: precious relationships, my self-respect and probably much more...I am still proud that I am a journalist! But am not proud of the fraternity that I am part of - day in and day out. For long, I supported journalis...

Lockdown diaries: Kuchh Aur Naye Band kisse

Chaaron taraf band khidkiyaan, sunsaan raaste, Hawayein chal rahi thi, patte bhi gire pedon se, Maidaano mein char rahe kuch jaanwar, Chidiyan chehek rahe the. Jo awaazein kabhi motor ki shor mein ghul gaye the, aaj sabhi zinda huye. Band gharon mein jaan aayi, Bachchon ki shorgul, cooker ki seetiyan, Kahin thahakon ki awaaz goonji. Chai ke pyaale, puraane gupshup aur naashte ki mehek har jagah chhayi. Khidkiyon se jhaankte huye kuchh chehre,  Ankhon mein aas lagaye baithe,  Kab ye virus chala jaaye, kab hum azaad panchhi ho Bebasi ki leher mein ummeed bhi thi shaamil. Bachhon ki khushiyan jaise garmi ki chuttiyan aa gayi, Ghar mein khel kood, FM par gaane, TV par Mahabharat aur Ramayan ka laut aana, Wahi chutkule, wahi kehkahe, wahi masti ki leher  Wah! Bachpan ke din laut aaye! Par iss baar chuttiyan lambi lagti hain, Mann mein khushi bhi, asmanjas bhi, Ghar mein surakshit raho, virus se bachke raho: yahi naara hai desh ka! Khushiyan fir se laut aayengi, ummeed hai y...