सफ़रनामा

“Be willing to have it so..." Acceptance of what has happened is the first step in overcoming the consequences of any misfortune. Allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling — and know that it’s not your fault Depression and anxiety disorders are medical conditions. They aren't the result of something you did or didn’t do. (State of mind, I told you already) Do something that you have control over or like making your bed or taking out the trash or that which gives you comfort, such as watching a favourite movie or flipping through a magazine. Just get out of that dark zone. Just distract yourself. Distraction is a necessary evil.  What do most of us do when we are caught up in an anxious situation?  Pick up our phone and connect with our friends or family. Right? Because we know this provides a natural boost and lets us find a reliable source of support and encouragement. If you’re up for it, go for a walk or jog around the block.  The simple Moto is to get out, before it...

"Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also harder to bear" - C.S Lewis A study reported in WHO, conducted for the NCMH (National Care Of Medical Health), states that at least 6.5 per cent of the Indian population suffers from some form of the serious mental disorder. Anxiety and depression can occur sequentially (one in reaction to the other), or they can co-occur. Though they are just like the 2 sides of the same coin , I'll make you understand in the simplest terms possible. Repeat after me:   Depression is not the same as sadness Yes, it is completely true that depression doesn't have a face . But, it does have symptoms. On the contrary, the symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder include: Even though stress and anxiety may appear to us as synonyms, they too have slight dissimilarities. Hope this must have uncluttered your mind from the various myths and must have made you a bit aware. Part III soon...

Okay, 1. All views are personal . 2. All critics are welcome. 3. This issue is multidimensional. Nothing is completely true nor wholly wrong. 4. This is going to be long. So I divide the matter into 3 posts. It's June 14 , 4:30 pm, and my head is flooded with questions, some usual, some unusual. My heart and brain seem to be in a serious discussion. They are dealing with the queries themselves. Why is it that we manage to survive the thunderous storms and avalanches of life successfully, only to be eaten up by the beetles of worry and 'depression'?  Wait, did I mention success ?  Happiness ? Sadness ? Can we really put these into words? Aren't these only states of our own mind ?  Some sort of a happening may be success for you, but a failure for me at the same time. You can choose to hold your head when all about you are losing theirs. It has been said that nearly all of our worries and unhappiness come from our imagination and not from reality. If you ask me, the con...

But when? As the world finds itself unlocking in a new situation, I'm engrossed in a similar state of mind as a lot of others : 'doubt'. This lockdown I discovered that brooming goes best with Mozart's sonatas and moping with Beethoven's. At least I have some work experience for the year (if at all they ask me). As the lockdowns extended, coming in sequels, much like the modern day webshows and series (a special thanks to them from the bottom of my heart), new ways had to be found out to keep calm and humor alive in the house. Ludo  came out as the favourite classic time pass for almost all the families.  Special credit has to be given to two of our epic shows : Ramayana and Mahabharata , for binding up the family together even in this present era of technology, engaged in Insta and WhatsApp.  Still trying to digest the fact that a pandemic forced us all to live in " गृहवास ", drawing a " lakshmana Rekha " around our sweet homes. I presume nev...

"Either I will come back after hoisting the Tricolor, or I will come back wrapped in it, but I will be back for sure."  - PVC Captain Vikram Batra ‘Reborn to be an immortal’. Great sense of pride and victory at the cost of their life! The National War Memorial (NWM) commemorates the saga of valour and courage by all those soldiers who laid down their lives as supreme sacrifice to defend the interests of the nation. The memorial is the first-of-its-kind tribute to the soldiers who’ve laid down their lives in the Indo-China War (1962), Indo-Pak Wars (1947, 1965 and 1971), the Kargil Conflict (1999) and other operations Mostly invisible but strongly present, the NWM is built in a sunken plot to respect the view of the India Gate.  As we walked past the India Gate, our ears met with the sound of the trumpets which filled our hearts with patriotism. The layout of the NWM, spread over 40 acres has been fashioned in four concentric circles . Circle of Protection (Raksha Chakra): ...