“SAY NO TO BULLYING”, “SAY NO TO HARASSMENT”

Harassment in the public is found to be twice as common for people with mental health problems than for those in the overall population.

The harassment commonly involves verbal abuse mentioning to the individual’s mental health complications and is committed primarily by colleagues and neighbors. Almost all of us know that harassment of a psychiatric patient has a detrimental effect on his mental health. Still, we hear these kind of news so often:

“Currently admitted in Malda Medical College Hospital in a critical condition, the woman was found with blunt metal objects inserted in her privates. Doctors have reported that she was raped multiple times by multiple people. Reports say the tribal woman, said to be mentally unstable, was abducted from a neighbouring village near Ichamati river while she was on her way back from a Shivratri fair on February 17 evening”.

“A mentally ill woman was beaten and tortured by three women in front of a crowd in Pallipuram. Her feet were burnt with an iron ladle. When a mobile video of the assault was circulated on social media, the police filed a case against the women”. And so many more…..

Stigma and discernment have long been complications for people with mental health issues living in the society.

Yes, the mentally ill will often face teasing or bullying. Bullying is always merciless, but is extraordinarily so when aimed at individuals who are acknowledged in some manner as disabled.

In all bullying, the bystanders shouldn’t just keep staring but should stop these attacks by intervening or by arranging help for the mentally disabled. Stopping the harassment is something for which we all should take the responsibility. They are the ones who can’t take care of themselves and need someone to take care of them and for the sake of humanity, we can stand by them in need and help them not get furthermore mentally unstable just by simply intervening in the harassment and stopping it further.

The worst of all that can happen is domestic violence faced by mentally ill. Their caretakers whether it be parents, children or siblings, at some point of time, lose patience and it results in domestic violence as they can’t take it anymore themselves but the other way round, they should themselves see the patient’s psychiatrist in order to know how to stay calm and stress free. The caretaker’s meet are regularly held at Shanti Home Advance De-addiction, Mental Health Clinic and Psychiatric Rehabilitation where the family of the Psychiatric patient is counseled well.

The intensity of the emotive or physical assault leaves lifelong wounds and in a high number of cases these patients exhibit enough symptoms of furthermore suffering from depression, anxiety and seclusion. The worst of the repercussions even may lead to suicide.

Harassing a mentally unstable person is a heinous act of humanity. Let’s not make their struggle of mental health recovery impossible by continuing to treat them as horrendously distinct part of society. Remember, mental illness isn’t a choice. It is exhausting to fight a war inside one’s head every day. Let’s make it easier for them to recover and be a support and “SAY NO TO BULLYING”, “SAY NO TO HARASSMENT”.