Over a month at home, locked down with limited social
interaction only in virtual world is taking a toll on mental health of many
people. Though mental well-being is often ignored as just sensitivity, it is
difficult to ignore it during the lockdown.
According to a study conducted by Sheffield University, the
day after the lockdown was announced 38 per cent of the study’s participants
reported significant depression whilst 36 per cent reported significant
anxiety.
Another survey, which was conducted around the end of March
by Ipsos Mori found that 1 in 5 people are concerned about isolation, including
not being able to go out in general, being in isolation for a long time, and
the impact this will have on long-term mental health.
Instead of desperately seeking social engagements by
breaking the rules of lockdown, some smart Indoreans have decided to work on
their inner well-being. Their campaign says ‘Can’t go out? Let’s go inside
ourselves’.
Joined in by over 100 families of Sahaj Yoga in Indore,
people from different age-groups are now spending time practising meditation. About
2 lakh individuals from all over country have joined this movement.
Other than this, Jain community and Christian community is
also organising spiritual sessions and prayers to help people cope with
lockdown.
Some families in Indore shared their experience and quoted
the importance of working on mental well-being:
Pray to find faith
“Lockdown has taken a toll on mental health of many people
especially youngsters, who are full of energy,” Bishop Chacko said. In his efforts
to help people in calming down, he joined in worldwide prayers online and
guided people on finding themselves during the lockdown.
“Prayer is the easiest way to have faith and let go off your
worries,” Chacko said.
Fight the phobia
“The phobia of isolation, of future and the unknown
possibilities can take over us during the lockdown period,” Ankit Dhuliya,
24-year-old insurance advisor, said. Like many people, the family also finds
the lockdown phase difficult but is now fighting the phobia with meditation.
“We meditate in morning and evening, and during this time,
we let go off all our fears becoming peaceful,” Ankit said.
Changing thought process
“Meditation awakens the power of Kundalini, the inner energy
present in every individual and connects us with the collective consciousness,
the pervading power of Divine love,” businessman Somanth Yadav said. Changing
their thought process from isolation and limitation to growth and
possibilities, his family is fighting the depressive element of lockdown with
meditation.
Become thoughtless
“We cannot win if we keep taking the sword and seeking
revenge, thus is our problem in lockdown,” homemaker Preeti Agrawal said. She
explained that it is normal for people to feel worried about coronavirus, but
if we keep thinking, reading and researching the same, it is bound to take over
our mental health.
“The best way to deal with lockdown is to take out some time
and become thoughtless, which is possible through simple meditation,” Preeti
said. To maintain peace in her family, she ensures this thoughtless time for
everyone twice a day for an hour each.
Faith is the way
“When we have complete faith in something or someone without
any questions or doubts, then we are full of positivity,” homemaker Rekha Joshi
said. She explained that during lockdown, we can only seek faith, because
predicting what happens next will only make us more anxious.
“Faith also needs commitment and practise, it can be through
rituals or meditations,” Joshi said.
Online spiritual sessions
Jain community, where most people are accustomed to visiting
Jain temple regularly, are now stuck at home. Helping them find an outlet for
spiritual growth and education, community heads Pawan Anita Badjatya and
Narendra Vandana Jain are holding online sessions.
“Spirituality is our inner strength with the help of which,
we can counter the biggest obstacles,” heads said.
Stay cool with meditation
“We lose temper, when we are not stable inside and lacking
control,” Satish Singh, 24-year-old data processing officer, said. Dealing with
anxiety and fear, he learned meditation at a local centre.
“During lockdown, we are getting live guided meditation,
which helped me in staying calm and balanced despite the havoc around,” Satish
said. He convinced his family to join in the initiative, which helped his
father calm down.
“Anger can really destroy a family and it is easy to lose
our temper during lockdown,” Satish said.