Mental Health
Read about an incident below and discuss mental health.
An adolescent girl wanted to study Law after getting the result of Grade 12. But, her parents are not in favor of her choice. Some family members forced her to join the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. So, she joined CA and started her higher education. She could not concentrate on her studies. As a result, the result was not satisfactory. She left her study before completing the cow:se. She wanted to study Psychology in higher education. But, nobody supported her. She was sad. She lost her appetite. She had no sound sleep. She started to stay up late. She stai·ted showing no interest in her favorite activities. She started to stay alone. She left roaming and playing with her friends. She felt hesitation sharing her feelings and problems with family members and friends. After some days, her condition became worse. She felt hopeless or empty. She suffered from low self-esteem.
The family members and her close friends tried to convince her and make her happy. But, there was no change in her behavior and activities. Stress and anxiety brought her to the stage of depression. She faced problems in making decisions about her studies and other things. She had a low confidence level to express her feelings and opinions. The family members consulted a counselor and psychiatrist and made her treatment under their guidance and advice. She recovered slowly after the treatment. Her parents promised that she could choose her favorite subjects. Now, she is normal. She is actively participating regularly in family and social activities. She is studying Psychology as her choice and getting better results.
Questions for discussion
1. Why did the adolescent girl become the victim of depression?
2. What efforts did that girl and her family make to manage stress?
3. If stress occurs in your life, how do you manage it? Emotional, psychological, and social well-being come under mental health. It leads to the thoughts, actions, and feelings of a person. It helps people to manage stress, establish and strengthen their relationships with others, and make the right decision. It plays a vital role in our life.
Mentally healthy people can do their daily tasks in a meaningful way. They can manage their stress themselves. They can express their feelings and opinions with confidence. They can interpret the situation and present their logic. They can find the solutions to the problems. They can make the right decision at the right time. They can easily adjust themselves to the changed context. They can evaluate themselves and identify their own abilities. There are different problems related to mental health. Among them, stress, anxiety, and depression are given here.
A. Stress
Stress is a mental pressure. If people cannot solve the problem by utilizing their ability, they face the problem of stress. The problem of relationships with family, relatives, friends, and society causes stress. Being unable to achieve success as expected can also cause stress. The causes of the stress may be different for different people.
The different effects are seen due to stress, anxiety, and depression. People suffer from headaches, muscle pain, and insomnia (sleeplessness) . They cannot concentrate on their tasks. They show an annoyed mood and irritable behavior. They are unable to make decisions, remember things, and express feelings and opinions. Similarly, they cannot do self-evaluation and take responsibility. They always feel weak and worthless. They lose their self-confidence. These problems can create physical, mental, social, and emotional effects. Therefore, these mental problems should be managed promptly.
Management of Mental Health Problems
Stress and anxiety can be controlled through regular exercise, nutritious food, and a positive mindset. Depression can also be controlled through the1n. The following measures can be applied for the control and prevention of the mental health problem:
➣We should think positively, play games, read books, write something, and do creative work.
➣We should be involved in familyactivities such as interacting with family members, helping each other, and participating in family functions.
➣We should have enough sleep, nutritious food, and regular exercise.
➣We should be in contact with neighbors, relatives, and friends and interact with them regularly.
➣We should keep ourselves busy and active in daily activities making a schedule.
➣We should practice yoga and meditation regularly.
➣We should utilize social media properly.
➣We should consult the teacher, psychiatrist, or counselor for the treatment in time.
Conversion Disorder
Have you seen someone showing the symptoms of fainting, body tremors, crying, murmuring, foaming at the mouth, and unusual excitement? What may be the reasons behind it? How can we prevent us from it?
Conversion disorder is a mental health condition that causes physical symptoms. The person with the symptoms of conversion disorder. These problems are caused by different factors such as stressful events, sexual assault, physical abuse, disturbed relationships, and inability to fulfill needs. Sometimes, this conversion disorder can happen in a group or mass, known as mass conversion disorder. The symptoms seem to be in groups or mass.
The symptoms of conversion disorder are fainting, body tremors, foaming at the mouth, over-existence, etc. The condition can be better if it is treated promptly. Therefore, we should consult the parents and other individuals to identify the real problem and find out the solutions. People suffering from this problem should come forward themselves to manage it. They should share their problems with their friends, teachers, and parents. They should also get help from them. It can be treated promptly with the help of a doctor's advice and counseling.
Activity 2.3
Form small groups. Collect essential information through interviewing- ing seniors and specialists, visiting the library and surfing the Internet. Study them and present the conclusion in the classroom.
Legal Provision on Drug Abuse
Discuss in a group with the help of the following questions.
a. What may be the problems created by drug abuse?
b. What is the punishment for those people who are involved in this activity?
Legally banned substances such as cannabis, opium, heroin, morphine, and cocaine are the drugs. World Health Organization (WHO) has defined it as a substance that is not essential to be consumed for our healthy body. It affects the functions of the central nervous system. It brings change in the thoughts and feelings of a person. Different physical, emotional, mental, and social problems appear in an individual who is using drugs.
The production, use, and trading of drugs are illegal activities and these activities are also criminal activities. Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 (1976) has listed the narcotic drugs. The use export and import of these listed drugs are defined as prohibited acts according to the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act. It has also stated the penalty provisions for those people who commit the prohibited acts. According to this act, it is prohibited to cultivate, produce, prepare, purchase, export or import, distribute, store, and consume drugs. Punishment provisions in this act are listed here:
a. Anyone who consumes cannabis will be imprisoned for up to one month or fined up to Rs. 2000.
b. Anyone who cultivates cannabis shall be punished with an im- imprisonment for a term up to three years or with a fine of Rs. 25000.
c. Anyone who produces, prepares purchases, sells distributes, exports or imports, traffics, or stores cannabis shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to 10 years and with a fine unto Rs. 1000000.
d. Anyone who consumes opium, cocaine, and any other narcotic drugs shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to one year and with a fine of Rs. 10000.
e. Anyone who cultivates opium, cocaine, and any other narcotic drugs shall be punished with imprisonment for a term up to 10 years and with a fine unto Rs. 200000.
The person shall be punished or fined according to the gravity of the offenses.