By Geetanjali Sharma
Now and then, this and that, here and there, mine and yours, expressions and moods, minds and hearts, reality or fantasy, what and how, why and who, answers or questions, worry or wisdom, where are we, what are we?
Years of study of human psychology anchors most people amidst false assumptions and emotional setbacks. Be it at adolescence or adulthood, no one is free from the shackles of mental health problems. Diagnosed or not, medicated or otherwise, our lives are filled with dealing with the pain of wanting to do better, trying to help others, working on our own health and standing up for those in need.
Mental health issues have taken the world by storm. Their impact cuts across age groups. A careful and deliberate approach towards securing the youngest members of our society is essential. Their ability to communicate may not always be absolute, so, be aware of how your words and moods, taunts and threats, insults and manipulation may just become their trauma, silencing them.
Back in school, I wrote a letter to the editor of my school magazine, requesting her to write about the need for parents to understand the psychology of their children. The request was perhaps dismissed, as later in years, I lost friends to suicide, broken marriages and some just disappeared.
Narcissistic abuse is cruel, pattern forming and torturous. It slowly eats its way through a mind that is susceptible. A horrifyingly complex mind, wanting to make it impossible for others to see their reality, trying to defend their beliefs without considering what harm they might be doing to others, is more common than we care to admit.
I write about this in desperation to help anyone who can be saved. It breaks my heart and pains my mind to learn about the damage some people can do to create a false world of suffering. One full of anger, anxiety, tension and fear over losing control of all that is theirs.
While shades of green sprout from the tiniest crevices and pets run around, I gaze at the beautiful sky and observe changing patterns of scattered clouds, just like wavering moods. As you read this, and feel it too, try to look after those who end up suffering the most harm without any fault of their own. They need help too. They suffer but are rarely heard.
Some days I wish for the world to be calmer, moods smoother and expressions softer. And on other days, I wish for minds to be wiser and hearts more open, fantasies to be realities and realities more fulfilling. While human sensitivity remains low in understanding this cocktail of emotions, the questions I wonder about also remain unanswered.
(Geetanjali Sharma is an author and communications specialist. She holds a post-graduate degree in international communication from Macquarie University, Australia.)
