Reshika Balakrishnan appearing on Rupane web magazine
Sri Lankans leading busy lives in foreign countries may face challenges triggering stress and anxiety leading to mental health issues, according to a Toronto-based expert with wide experience in the field of psychology and counselling.
Reshika Balakrishnan, a professor at Michener Institute, who has specialized in Counselling Psychology and Neurosciences, says inconsistence changes in Canadian weather is an added impetus to worsen mental issues ‘if we are not too careful’.
Speaking to Sampth Peththawadu of weekly Rupane online video magazine, she said that the condition known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is one of the main reasons for people’s mood changes due to lack of sun light, particularly during the winter. “Doctors prescribe vitamin D to compensate for the lack of exposure to the positive energy of the sun but if you feel tired and depressed continuously, particularly during the cold months, you should seek professional help,” she added.
Mental health is all about addressing and processing one’s thoughts and feelings to arrive at a mental equilibrium, she said. “Sri Lankans living abroad are susceptible to stress-provoking activities in day to day activities leading to an imbalance. An individual has to be aware of changes within himself to maintain a balance”.
The first clue to an individual’s mental imbalance are the changes seen in the body which mirrors our thoughts and feelings. “For example, when our stress levels increase we might have trouble sleeping, or experience fatigue, loss of appetite, over-eating and palpitations. Worrying about the problems in the work place such as office deadlines and increased responsibilities can be another reason for stress. But these feelings should pass after the things become normal but if the physical changes are consistent it may hint at an imbalance in mental equilibrium”.
Everyone is vulnerable to mental problems without any age limit but the symptoms change depending on the age. “If children try to isolate themselves unusually the parents have to be vigilant about them. The changes sometimes may not be that prominent but the parents have to keep a ‘finger on the pulse’’.
In case of young people behavioural traits are different. They are growing up reaching the adulthood displaying bodily changes and secondly, they also may show signs of an identity crisis. In Sri Lanka, the situation is different than in the western countries because the society there, is closely-knit and there is lot of support from family and friends. Here, young people may tend to be lonely and feel abundant if the parents fail to pay attention to their sensitivities. If very young children display disruptive behaviour it is the parents’ duty to find the underlining reasons for such behaviour and seek remedial measures”.
Talking about modern day problems, Reshika says social media plays a big role in teenagers’ identity crisis. “Some girls become obsessed with their body image through social media and try to change their appearance. Social media has both good and bad. It is a good place to meet friends and share information and also it is a platform to show off their accomplishments but it has a negative effect as it is very easy to pass personal judgements without realizing how deeply they can affect someone’s feelings, sometimes leading to disastrous consequences”.
Explaining the concept of anxiety, Reshika says it results from underlining factors like extensive fear or worry. In these circumstances people tend to respond to changes on an alert mode. Doctors describe it as a simulated state of ‘fight or flight’ situation which means that an individual may feel that there are only two options: either fight the challenges or flee from them. If anxiety persists for a long time it can drain physical and emotional energy, as mental problems directly affect bodily functions creating chemical imbalances.
Asked what kind of solutions available in relations to mental health issues, she says a proven way is self-talk. “It is a helpful tool. You can analyze whether the fears are rational or irrational. Try to know where you encounter problems and detect what’s wrong”,
Self-talk is an initial process and if the problems persist leading a person towards social isolation, self-care won’t be much of a help. Then it is essential that a person should have an open-ended discussion with his doctor, just as we consult physicians with regard to physical health issues.
Unfortunately, there are stereotypes attached to mental health problems. “People talk openly about their physical health issues. They discuss their bypass surgeries, diabetes and other ailments but many do not like to talk about their mental health problems freely. This situation has to change”.
Talking about nipping mental problems in the bud, Reshika says self-care is a helpful tool. It is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Engage in something meaningful to you like some type of hobbies or sports. This is needed to maintain positive energy and regulate thoughts and feelings. Spend more time with the family and friends leaving room for some quality time. This can lead to a support system to discuss personal issues. It is very important for mothers with children to be close to them and pay special attention to their needs to create a sense of belonging in them.
A tried and tested method to control mental issues is to maintain a journal or a diary. “Many psychologists encourage this practise but some may think it is outdated. Experts believe, writing down daily happenings and observations in a journal offers a chance for an individual to reflect on things that he cannot discuss with other people openly,” Reshika said. – www.newstrails.com
(Rupena is a Toronto-based weekly Sinhala web magazine. The broadcast covering Sri Lankan community news and personalities contributing to the success in various areas of Canadian life is presented by Weeratech Creations).
