The SOS Show with Suchita

There is no specification of when can one suffer from any form of mental illness - it can happen at any time of one's life - and if we are not aware of the symptoms we might never detect it. Shubhrata Prakash, an IRS officer discovered that she was depressed after 5 years of going through it. 

What is depression? A word we so casually use in our daily being.
Shubhrata takes us through her dark phase when she couldn’t take care of her newly born child, couldn’t work, couldn’t get out of bed. 

Having a supporting husband made her come out of this phase.
And she wrote a book D on depression to create more awareness

What is the state of your mental health- Have you ever thought about it?

Do we go for mental health check-ups the way we go for our physical health check-ups?

This and more as we talk to the founder of Neuroleap Kumaar Bargodia.

Kumaar shares with us how Neuroleap is leveraging advanced technology for a drug-free, non-invasive, no adverse side effects approach for enhancement of brain functions and mental health. They have successfully helped clients with anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc.

What is depression? Is it biological? Or is it circumstantial?  Does your childhood have an impact on your life forever? What if you shared your feelings with someone - right then and there would that impact or scar lessen - this and more as we Speak to screenwriter n author, the daughter of one of the most admired filmmaker’s Mr. Mahesh Bhatt - Shaheen Bhatt and her book I have never been (un) happier!

As we are about to close for 2019, Ep.Log Media & Metaphysical Lab. share 2 special episodes with Rajvi Mariwala, Director-Mariwala Health Initiative(MHI), and this episode all about bringing structure to the current mental healthcare ecosystem.
MHI has been formed by well-known industrialist & founder of Marico Industries, Mr. Harsh Mariwala, and daughter Rajvi Mariwala, to fund Mental Health initiatives and bring a change in the field of mental health in India.

A few months back they released their annual journal- ReFRAME, through which they endeavor not only to transform existing discussions around mental health (MH), but also to widen the scope for participation in these crucial conversations. Their last issue highlighted the need for funding rights-based MH work, given that the MH sector has not been a priority in philanthropy or CSR in India.

In this episode, we try to extend the conversation on ReFRAME on the idea behind creation of the journal and what went making it.

As a study, we also took bytes from the contributors to the various articles in ReFRAME and gave their perspectives on documenting the journal. 

Umeed the non profit organisation deals with children with developmental issues. Jehanzeb Baldiwala heads their mental health section which is dealing with kids with various mental health issues anxiety to depression to Schizhophernia. In this conversation Jehanzeb shares with us the various narrative practices they use to connect with the kids and make them self aware n self dependent. The parents and the umeed family form a big part of bringing out this change together

In this episode of THE SOS SHOW- we talk about how does mental health and addiction work. We are in conversation with Dr. Mitika Kanabar.

We talk about various forms of addiction from tobacco, alcohol, and the internet and how does that affects our mental, well being and also the causes of depression in our lives. Also and most importantly why does addiction happen!

Tune in to this and more on our website and all the podcasting platforms.

What are the odds that you will rebel against your own family to stand by something you believe in? Ratna Chibber did just that- she left her husband and her own family to stand and protect her brother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. It was an inspiring moment of stand-alone spirit.

And the challenges and battles that lay ahead transformed her into a stronger person and transformed many lives.

Tanya Dutt saw her mother face all the challenges and that defined her and her vision on mental health.

They both started Atmanirbhar an NGO that makes mentally ill people self-dependent.

Our  society has conditioned us to be strong- to not show our emotions- to  hide them. And that can be fatal and if not released can accumulate to  the point of bursting. In this heartfelt and very personal conversation  with Papiya Bagchi - she takes us through her personal losses of her  father and younger sister and how she coped with it by finding the  stillness inside herself.

We  all have that stillness that if tapped can enable us to find our  balance and live life to the fullest and with immense gratitude

Let us know what you think of the episode in the comments or DM us on Instagram @eplogmedia

In  Mental Illness, it is not just the medical care that counts but also  the psychological care.  Perhaps as we move deeper into the podcasts on  our show we realize that psychological care should take precedence over  medical care.

ARTS  BASED THERAPY (ABT) approach towards mental illness could be an  important step in Mental care approach- a supplementary if not an  alternative way to healing mental illness.

A revolution in mental health - where the rights is given to mental  health -and the onus to central n state government -In this enlightening conversation with Arjun Kapoor we talk about Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) 2017 

Arjun is a lawyer and is a Research Associate at the Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy (CMHLP).  His areas of interest range from law & development, mental health policy and psychology.

In this episode we discuss the definition of Mental Health & Illness in the Indian Law, what was the need for the MHCA 2017, a peek in the history of the law for mental health, why is the act so important and how is it going to bring a change.

The law defines the fact that, Mental Healthcare is not just a law for healthcare, but is a step to ensure human rights. 

Some Takeaways from the episode are:

-The right is given to people suffering from various mental illnesses where they can demand a treatment wo any form of discrimination 

-The state has to look into the demand and provide treatment 

-The biggest challenge though is the infrastructure m the gap in mental health professionals, this is where community like Atmiyata can come in

Where are the rehab centers for mental health- and what kind of conditions they are in?  in this deep conversation with Tanmaya Bhatnagar, who tells her story of living with her schizophrenic mother- the family coping together with her illness tried all the possible rehab centers where her mother could spend some daycare time- but she felt she would never leave her mother in those centers which were unclean and not cared for...The family decided to take turns and take care of their mother with the father being a strong backbone for the family.

Where are the REHAB CENTRES FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND WHY ARE THEY NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF... WHO IS FUNDING THEM AND DO WE seriously need to shift our attention to them.

Schizophrenia was first observed in 1887 -still in 2019 has no cure -the patients still lead a tough existence trying to fight the voices and hallucinations-we talk to Amrit Bakshy who is a caregiver to his daughter with Schizophrenia-he takes us on a journey and a battle to try and give his daughter a good life -the question still remains if we do have answers to schizophrenia

Caregiving  for someone with mental illness is as hard and especially when the  mental illness has psychotic traces like schizophrenia. 
Practicing active empathy, compassion and sensitivity can really help.

Namarita  shares her story of her family dealing with her mother having  schizophrenia. We also talk about the voices and the dimensions that the  person living with schizophrenia deals with. Modern medication since  1887 have not been able to cure the side effects of medication or the  reason behind the voices. 
We try and decipher this from the caregivers point of view.
The  causes/ trigger for schizophrenia could be varied from genetic, to  trauma, to sensitivity quotient of the person to the person getting  inside a new environment. 
Developing a buffer system unconsciously can really help. We still have a severe lack of psychologist and psychiatrist to deal with severe mental health cases.  

How are we going to bridge this gap. 

Let us know what you think about this episode 

"NUEROTRANSMITTER IMBALANCE IS THE CAUSE AND THE TREATMENT AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS" 1 in 5 individuals in the world will suffer from some form of mental illness.  

In this episode, Dr. Samir Parikh. He is a psychiatrist and  Director of Fortis National Mental Health Program at Fortis Healthcare. 

300 million suffer from. depression.600 million people from depression anxiety.. biology psychology and the environment intersection is the main cause of mental illness.. anti pharma is not the way..there will always not be 100 % accuracy.. 

There is a robust government structure where there is free of cost treatment.. 

Aayushnman Bharat etc will help the mental health infrastructure.. public private partnership will enable a faster way to bridge the gap in infrastructure. caregiver handling is as important- Fortis health care has a 24 hour helpline(+918376804102). 

Kenton has been dealing with his own flux of emotions while bringing up his daughters. Mental illness has made him empathetic towards others -his daughters too have become more empathetic towards people . Kenton feels it’s important to have conversation with ur partners and children about mental illness

In this episode Suchita is joined by Delhi based Shubha Menon, who is a copywriter in Ogilvy and is married having a daughter and 2 dogs. 

She has been suffering with Bipolar disorder and has been very active to bring awareness about mental health and also runs a group for people suffering from bipolar disorder, where they talk about remedies and solutions.

Shubha also discusses deeply about medication and how it affects people. 

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Swati Agrawal is a lawyer by profession and has been suffering from Bipolar disorder along with fibromyalgia.

Despite that, she has been leading a normal life and on this episode she talks about what misconceptions people have regarding mental illness, her relations with people around, people's reaction to it and much more!

A TEDX Speaker & Ashoka Fellow, Reshma Valiapan, is among the people to embrace Schizophrenia and take advantage of it to become successful at a plethora of activities, one of them being Painting.

Schizophrenia  is a very tough mental illness where the person suffering and their  environment both get affected in equal and more proportions. This was  first identified in the year 1887. 

John  Nash, the Nobel prize winner, Albert Einstein's Son, The most admired  Novelist of American Pop Culture Jack Kerouac, all were diagnosed with  this chronic mental illness . 

One of the primary symptoms is they hear voices- who tell them to do various things. 

In  our podcast- THE SOS SHOW- with the admirable artist, Reshma Valliappan  we try to decipher those voices; we also try and understand the basis  of Schizophrenia. 

It's  very strange that with all the medical developments we still don't have  a complete understanding of this mental illness- in fact, we are still  at the tip of the iceberg. 

In  this conversation, Reshma strongly feels it is the dysfunctional  parenting that leads to this chronic illness- SO DO WE NEED TO PAY  ATTENTION TO DYSFUNCTIONAL PARENTING- AND CAN WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT  AS A SOCIETY!!

We  still don't have any good medication without side effects for  Schizophrenia; in fact, THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE SO SEVERE THAT THE PERSON  STOPS FUNCTIONING AT ALL; IS ANYONE LISTENING TO THIS. AND CAN WE DO  SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. So what are the alternate forms of medication to  deal with Schizophrenia? 

This  and much more as we explore and dig deeper into this misnomer and very  little understood,  mental illness in the EP 1 of THE SOS SHOW. 

Here are few take aways from the episode:

1) the basis of Schitzhophernia-is it DNA or something else 

2) medications for schizophrenia 

3) psychotherapy 

4) alternative medication 

5) building a strong community to support

The  discussion on MENTAL HEALTH has been a taboo in most of the societies.   With the WHO estimating a figure of 300 million people affected with  depression, 60 million with bipolar, and 23 million with schizophrenia-  we are just getting started in defining MENTAL HEALTH; We still classify  mental health as MADNESS. 

In  our podcast- THE SOS SHOW- we are going to a demystify a lot of beliefs  around mental health- We are going to speak to the fighters, the  innovators, the fearless ones and more, about what MENTAL HEALTH means  to them, how can we redefine the already defined- WHAT MENTAL HEALTH  REALLY IS and how can we break all the taboos created around it; Also,  how can the society, the medical and the government infrastructure be  smoothened to bring an immediate help to someone needed, without being  embarrassed about it, without be worried about it even in the middle of  the night; Also how do we eradicate the indifference related to mental  health in the minds of the people.  

THE  SOS SHOW intends to open up the discussion on mental health and bring  about a real change and A LEAP in our cultural ecosystem with regards to  MENTAL HEALTH.