Days of darkness, nights that feel far too lonely,
A mind overburdened with fears and doubts,
Uncertainties of your mind, only.
In my work as an educator & entrepreneur, I come across heartbreaking stories of children and adults who are silently sinking into the darkness of depression and anxiety.
Their fear of their fears, their concern about judgment and the lack of unconditional understanding makes them feel even more secluded in their overwhelming experience. Their doubts are often quieted down with statements like, “It’s all just in your head”, “sleep it out”, or “You’re crazy”; these are possibly the worst things they hear, which break their morale and self-belief further and pushes them into darkness.
I urge our schools, communities and families to listen to their loved ones with kindness and empathy, without discarding their feelings. What may feel weird or silly to you, is the absolute truth of their current situation. If they trust you enough to confide in you, they are simply looking for a little validation of their feelings and a little encouragement to keep going, just one day at a time. If you can, teach them coping skills to build emotional resilience and refer them to the right counsellors and therapists, who are professionally equipped to help. Let’s break the stigma and allow all of our feelings to be accepted and heard.
Believe me, it’s not the grades that matter, it’s not the salaries that matter, it’s not the awards that matter; the most important thing that matters today is mental, emotional and physical well-being because without it, life is a dull, dark and lonely experience to have and we live on a beautiful planet with amazing people, so give everyone a chance!!
Shared By : Monisha Sharma
Co-founder & Director, The Lexicon Group
