I have been wondering about how I should start this article in the first place, not an easy topic to talk about, but it needs to be heard. Today, especially considering how it has become increasingly important to look after your mental health in this fast-paced world. So here goes nothing, we are going to take a little bit of a deep dive into who one of 'The Sheeples' are and talk about my own journey with mental health along with what I have learned through my own experiences.
In our country, one thing that I have always observed is the fact that none of us are comfortable talking about what is truly on our minds, it's as if we have created a box around ourselves that we aren't ready to leave. I know I had a difficult time with this same fact when I was a child, a feeling of being underwater without anything to help you float. The older I got, the deeper I would go into the abyss, it wasn't until I learned about what I truly wanted for myself and what I truly wanted out of life that I was able to see a light that showed me a way back out.
The sad part about this is, that we ourselves never realize that we might be in such a place. We always think that people around us have certain expectations and we have to live up to these expectations, but never give ourselves a chance to voice our thoughts out. Sometimes these expectations come from within, we want to reach somewhere, achieve a particular goal, or want something, but don't have the patience and time to work at our own pace. This is where it becomes important to know ourselves and understand our own pace.
I can start by giving my own example, I have been lucky enough to have supportive parents, especially my mom who is always there for me when I need to speak out or talk to her about something serious, but earlier on in my school years, I always thought that I couldn't do that. As a kid, I was a very shy and meek boy, who only spoke to people I was comfortable with and had come to know over time. A far cry from my dad who was a very social person and an amazing performer on stage. This led me to think that there was something wrong with me, the fact that I was always quiet made me feel like I was just some weirdo.
Growing up made me realize that wasn't the case, I just was a thinker and had my own pace of doing things. The other factor that held me back was and I would still say holds me back is my obesity. I have been through a very unhealthy phase in my life, I still am trying to combat that phase. I used to weigh 185 kgs at my highest, which was about 3 years ago. That was something that made me really insecure as well. It made me go deeper into my shell that was already quite thick. I had let myself go in college, not having a care in the world and never having a direction for myself. This was all internalized by the way. I fought a lot with my mom, did not make many friends, and only had a few people whom I spoke to. It was my dad's passing away that hit me in the face and brought me back down to earth.
After my dad passed away, I truly saw the state that my mom was in, the things that I should have done, the time that I let slip away, but his passing led me deeper into that abyss. It was the last dive before I could take a stroke and start making my way back out. It was my mom that helped me through it, even though she was in deep waters herself, she knew what both of us were facing, having her be able to confide in me and I, confiding in her helped the two of us get better. This was the point, 2 years after my dad's death in 2017, that both of us started improving. I completed college and started helping my mom out in a startup. I also took the time to look into myself. Through this, I also opened up to a few friends whom I later learned were going through their own troubles, and we were able to help each other out. I never knew how much of a difference it would make to just have one ear listen to you, hear you out and just be there. Today, I have almost completed my Post Grad, have lost about 80 kg in weight, and am confident enough to start this podcast with a friend I met in my uni.
I know it sounds cliche, but the conversation about mental health is important because you never realize how deeply you are hurting until you reach rock bottom. This has led people to take drastic measures in life and I consider myself lucky that I never reached that point. But just having someone to talk to helps. Though in my case it was my mom and my friends, for you, it could be anyone, and if you aren't comfortable talking to them, then you can always write to us, we are not professionals but we would love to lend an ear. Also, if possible, it is always great to have a therapist help you through these situations, it can be a very cathartic experience. All you need to do is start a conversation. Do that and let the tide take you in its flow because I for one can tell you, you will not regret it!
This is 1000minus7 signing off, and if you want to hear more about this topic, we discuss it in the first episode of The Sheeples Podcast. You'll get to hear more about my journey as well as my friend Zee's journey over there, hope you'll check it out!
You can listen to our podcast here: https://bit.ly/mental-hlth
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Until next time!