Mental health is a universal human right

WRITTEN BY: YASHMITHA UTHYASHANKAR CLASS OF 2025

Commemorating the day of mental health day on October 10th , this blog tells us why mental health is important and some common signs that someone might be struggling and how they can obtain help.

Human rights are rights we have simply because we exist as human beings. It’s a necessity for survival, happiness, health and to be a contributing part of society.

To obtain this along with many other things we also need a mind free of any sort of emotional or psychological problems. A mind that allows you to make healthy choices, to be social and to think and to act and to feel human. We need mental health.

Today, the severity of mental disorders and the need for mental health is still not considered important to many people. Even when it is fatal, it doesn’t lead to change, it leads to conspiracy, crude remarks and disrespect. Those who struggle may struggle for months, even years, but the effect of its consequences on society is short lived. This ignorance only helps with raising the statistics of those affected and the inevitable fatalities if help is not provided.

There’s a plethora of mental disorders and the mental disorders we talk about everyday such as anxiety, depression, OCD and so on. These are more complex that we describe it to be. “To be depressed is to be sad“, “I get scared during my exams I think I have anxiety”, “I’m a very clean person, I like everything a certain way, I think I have OCD “.

These are phrases we’ve either told or heard someone say. While it may seem harmless, to those affected it trivializes their disease, they assume that what they go through will never be understood and it prevents them from seeking help. Sadness, anger, nervousness, these are normal human emotions, but to feel such a way every single day, with an unapparent reason, in an abnormal and uncontrollable manner is a sign of poor mental health.

The present generation’s idea of mental health comes from the media’s portrayal of it. The overly dramatized version that is shown for viewership purposes just adds on to the stereotypes.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “get help?” but what is help? When you realize that something may be wrong, talk to someone, be it your friend or your family. There will always be someone to provide a helping hand. Struggling alone and not knowing what to do is scary on its own, but bottling it all up, is worse.

If you feel like you cannot talk to someone you know, talk to a professional, a therapist assures confidentiality and you can always choose a therapist to fit your liking.

Asking for help is normal, we cannot do everything alone, it is in our nature as humans to work together. Judgement will always be present but that shouldn’t stop us from getting the aid we deserve.

Self-care is something everyone should know about. A healthy mind is as important as a healthy body. Self-care is an individualized concept; it is unique to each person. It is something that brings you happiness, makes you relaxed and feel better about yourself. It can range from hobbies such as cooking, reading, painting to exercise, walking and etc. Practicing self- care teaches you to give importance to yourself and to find things that you’re good at and it helps you to love yourself.

How can you help others? Always look out for your friends and family. If they seem like they’re struggling or if you notice any change in them, check on them. Something as small as this goes a long way.

Listen to them, sometimes we just need a person to vent to, to make us feel like we are being heard. Support them and help them get the help they need. Learn more about different mental disorders, how you can identify them and how you can help. The only way you can truly help someone is if you understand them.

Be empathetic, realize that what they’re going through is something so much more and help them get the help they deserve. Remember, it takes a lot of courage to open up.

As medical students and future doctors, we need to know the importance of mental health, how we can provide help, how we can destigmatize it and how we can raise more awareness on the topic.

As people, we should know that mental health is a universal human right.