Thoughts to Words

* Immediately delete questions like “May I know what are your qualifications?” or “Where did you get this so-called psychological fact from?” asked by mental health professionals in the comments section of your posts.  * Post some social media stories related to how you are just trying to “help” and your “opinions” are on a mission to save the world.  * In a country like India which has its population in crores, buy some followers for your page. Some means thousands and lakhs.  * If you are scared that mental health professionals will keep questioning your credibility then tell your loyal followers that you are not a therapist/psychologist/psychiatrist but you will continue to take PAID private calls and deep listening sessions because you are giving the world your 'precious time'. (Shhh, no one knows this is how your business grows.)  * The followers/pseudo lawyers you have will fight for you in the comments section of all your social media pages and also spend all ...

1. Act like you are qualified in psychology and market your unverified content in the name of "psychological facts".   2. Make it look like people don't need to go to therapists/counsellors/psychologists/psychiatrists because your pep talks are enough to heal mental health illnesses. 3. Use social media to grow your unethical business. After all, if it's a reel then who really cares whether it's real or not. Go live on different social media platforms, throw spoilt lemons at your followers, they will hopefully make lemonade and drink it too because you are an "influencer" and they love your blue tick. 4. Organize deep listening sessions without any professional training in mental health. 5. Never question your conscience. Keep minting money at the cost of someone's life. ©songbriti

The session began at 8 pm. You shared about how the day has been and the highlight I listen to is that you haven't had the time to eat any meal throughout the day. I can see the exhausted look on your face right through the screen and I know how distracting hunger can be.  "Please go and eat something and we will reconnect in a few minutes." The word empathy is an action that you practice in the healthcare industry like an anthem. You have got to memorize it and meditate in its rhythmic light. My next session is at 9 pm and this one was already delayed by an hour which means my mini-break between two sessions is cut out. And that's okay because therapy is not just about talking, it is about doing what is the best for the client.  Therapy books written by renowned professionals who have been kind enough to share their wisdom have taught me a lot and one thing that I understand is experiences like these help you grow as a human being.  As your therapist when I ask you t...

Life is too short to be demeaned by toxic positivity, cut me some slack because when there is a real problem with my mental health I take the responsibility to heal myself by addressing the illness first. Optimism is in the rulebook and a part of my routine too but the idea is not to exploit its usage by bombarding one-liners to shoo away the acknowledgement of the wound. Seeking help to lead a healthier life (physically, mentally and spiritually) is a human right. On humanitarian grounds, be kind and patient to LISTEN because off late good listeners are missing in action. ©songbriti

"Emotional pain lasts for 10 to 20 minutes, anything longer is actually self inflicted by over thinking, making things worse." This "psychological fact" was posted by a social media page yesterday. You may correct me if the fact is mentioned in any reputed journal related to mental health. I would then happily accept my fault and apologise to you. Talking about Overthinking and its relation to mental illness, is it so hard to understand that no survivor of a mental illness wants to overthink deliberately. Mental illnesses like anxiety disorders have symptoms such as excessive worrying and according to the National Institute of Mental Health (which is a reliable, valid and renowned source) it is a fact that the risk factors of this includes both genetic and environmental factors. It would be great if self proclaimed psychologists/psychiatrists/counsellors on social media understand that mental illnesses like Depression, Anxiety and Phobias are not self-inflicted. ...

The month of Mental Health Awareness came to an end last week. Putting your alarm on snooze after this? Please don't. This is a movement with a global welfare perspective and it needs your support to grow. The awareness campaigns on mental health and mental illnesses by various organisations both on and off social media reached out to a section of the population which is great but reaching out to every human being is the larger objective. The baby steps we take now are the roots of the foundation for tomorrow. Understanding the person next to you, encouraging emotional hygiene, sharing your awareness with fellow citizens, normalising mental healthcare services is a few starters we need to work on. When winter is the season in town, you wear warm clothes to protect yourself from catching a cold. Agree? Winters will come and go but mental health is not seasonal, it is a permanent part of our lives. The month of May is the ship which will be back next year but...O Captain! My Captain!...

All these social media posts which confidently begin with 'Psychology says...' and then state some directional or non directional hypothetical statements on a wide range of variables like love, relationships, human nature, etc what is up with your ethical consideration? Imagine if Psychology could file a defamation case against you? Social media is gaga over filters then why are you hesitant to filter out the incorrect information before betting for likes and comments? I understand not everything on social media is to be taken seriously but the growing influence of social media is a reason enough to be concerned. What is seen, heard and spoken on this platform has a tremendous impact on young minds. If Psychology really interests you, you must be cognizant of the fact that it is a science. A science, yes you read that right. Creative liberty is the gateway to innovation but misusing the name of a science to make-believe myths and stereotypes is like producing a malicious vi...

* I am not a machine which can generate motivation 24X7. I have my own share of emotional breakdowns. Please understand that this however does not affect my responsibilities towards my clients because as a part of my training process I do learn how to deal with my professional life without letting my personal life step into its shoes. * I am not Google. I do not have the solutions to your problems and even if I do have an opinion in my mind, I will never impose my thoughts or opinions on you. As a psychologist, I will always help you help yourself but not spoon feed you with answers. * It takes me by surprise when people say that mental illnesses are a luxury! Are you even listening to yourself? You are calling an illness a luxury? Should I empathize with your ignorance? Actually do me a favour, drop in a message about your ignorance, I will help you gain some awareness and don't worry I won't charge you a penny for it. * It takes years of hardwork to become a psychologist l...

"Am I normal?" Mmmm..."Are you normal?" Validation, yeah? In a world where the number of fucks traded between two or more individuals is directly proportional to the profits obtained by them, what are you searching for again? Just a second, I have a burning sensation in my throat which is running a marathon till my gut. Munched on some homegrown chillies before I got here, a form of rawness and amateurish language flows out of my tongue and damn, I have not been taking those pills of euphemism. Anyway, you were asking… "Am I normal?" Mmmm…"Are you normal?" Fighting a battle in silence for years, switching between laughter in the daylight and sleeping on tear stained pillows with eyes staring at the ceiling blankly till the sun says "knock knock"… In a society where stigmatizing mental illness and chanting slogans of "Oh it is all in your mind" is not questioned and left to brew ignorance and insensitivity, You ...

Pendulum of perfectionism, glued to obsession, fuelling procrastination, raising suspicion. “Am I good enough?” transfixed to conformity; and societal prescriptions fermenting stress into distress. Piles of perceived failures, inflating alleys of comparison; a black lining of self-reproach on clouds of depression. Wings of mindfulness, flying believably, smiling in contentment, riveted on carpe diem. ©songbriti