Realising something feels off with oneself, but not being sure what it is, is a frightfully common experience. Psychologist Dr Rituparna Ghosh (PhD) shared with HT Lifestyle that many people arrive at a clinic saying that they are fine, but note that they do not feel like themselves anymore.
Changes that one usually notices include:
- Getting irritated over small things
- Avoiding people they usually enjoy spending time with
- Feeling tired all the time
- Struggling to concentrate
- Losing interest in things they once looked forward to
“Some may not even feel particularly sad. They just feel blank, disconnected or mentally exhausted,” shared the psychologist. She went on to explain how this can become a serious concern, which is elaborated as follows.
Importance of recognising mental health concerns
Ghosh shared that while mental health concerns are not uncommon in the country, people are often confused, as they do not always look the way people expect them to.
She went on to cite the National Mental Health Survey of India 2015–2016, which found that around 11 percent of adults were experiencing a mental disorder that required active intervention. At the same time, the treatment gap for common mental disorders was estimated at around 85 percent in the survey report.
“The difficulty is that we tend to look for a clear reason – a major loss, a difficult situation, or an obvious period of sadness. But the mind does not always express distress so clearly. Sometimes, it shows up in our behaviour before we are able to put it into words,” shared the psychologist.
Ghosh highlighted that many people have a tendency to say things like, “Nothing has happened to me, so why am I feeling like this?” Work, family and other responsibilities may go on as usual, making some individuals feel that they have no reason to complain.
“They keep going and slowly start treating the change in themselves as normal,” noted the psychologist. “While not every bad day or change in mood means there is something extremely alarming, these changes need to be looked at when they continue for weeks. In the long term, they start to affect relationships, work, sleep or everyday life.”
Acknowledging the problem is the first step to solving it
Ghosh explained that the first step to solve the issue is not to find the right word for it, but rather to acknowledge the fact that there is an issue that needs to be addressed.
In the words of the therapist, “Sometimes, the first step is not finding the right word for what you are feeling. It is simply acknowledging that something does not feel right and giving yourself the space to understand it. Telling yourself what you are feeling at that moment is important.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Dr Rituparna Ghosh (PhD) is a senior consultant psychologist at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, with more than 20 years of clinical experience.
