Deaths of Pallavi Dey, Bidisha De Majumder and Manjusha Neogi highlight importance of prioritising mental health; experts say “We need to notice if there is a cry for help and address it immediately"

The recent deaths of

Pallavi Dey

, Bidisha De Majumder, and

Manjusha Neogi

have raised many questions. While initial reports suggest death by

suicide

in all three cases, police officials are still investigating the matter. Meanwhile, these incidents have yet again proved the importance of prioritising mental health. Model-actress Manjusha, who was found dead in her residence at Patuli, was reportedly depressed after close friend Bidisha’s death. Manjusha’s mom told the media, how her daughter used to speak about death and tried to end her life a few months back but was saved by her (Majusha's) husband.

“In 96 % of cases, those who take a drastic step, often speak about it prior to the incident. Most of the time, it is a desperate cry for help and we should notice it. The moment we notice such things, we should immediately seek help from professionals. Changes in behaviour, eating habits, and others can also be noticed. These are symptoms. There is no shame in seeking help from mental health professionals. Anxiety,

depression

, and suicidal thoughts are real, indeed common and we can save lives if we notice the symptoms and help them,” says Molly Thambi, who is the Joint Secretary at a leading psychiatric hospital near Dakshin Gobindapur. She is also associated with an NGO that runs helplines for suicide prevention.

The recent incidents are quite 'alarming' feels Dr. Sharmila Sarkar and needs immediate attention. “These recent incidents are really alarming and need immediate attention. Different reasons and circumstances might work as a trigger for individuals. Childhood abuse, substance abuse, family background and family history, recent incidents, depression and many other reasons are there. But I want to tell these youngsters that failure, be it in professional life, personal life or whatsoever isn’t the end. It is just a part of life. We face failures, bad experiences in life and learn something from those. And I am not talking only about models or those who are in the acting profession. Students, working professionals, and youngsters often battle depression and anxiety due to different reasons,” says Dr. Sharmila Sarkar, a psychiatrist.

Speaking about symptoms that might be noticed in individuals, she said, “We shouldn’t overlook if someone talks about suicide or battling depression. It is a desperate cry for help. Believe it or not, we all want someone to listen to us without being judgemental and help us feel better. Once we notice such symptoms in an individual we should immediately seek help from experts. There is no place for hesitation or shame in seeking help.”

Molly, who has several years of experience in creating awareness to prevent suicide and running helplines, shared an important point. “Sometimes, an empathetic listener can save lives. From 10 am to 10 pm, we get numerous calls which are attended by trained volunteers. In my experience, I have seen how a prompt response can save a life. And I would like to request those who are battling depression or suicidal thoughts to open up and seek help. My heart aches to see these youngsters taking a drastic life. Not always parents or friends can help. We need to talk to psychologists and psychiatrists. Depression, anxiety and other problems are like flu or viral fever. If we can visit a doctor for fever, why can’t we visit a psychologist?” she questions. During the conversation, Molly underlined, “We get many calls all over the country but very less from West Bengal. I don’t know why we don’t prioritize mental health and talk about it!”

Sharmila, on the other hand, also emphasised on parenting. She says, “Parenting is really important. We need to make our children realise that we can’t achieve everything. We need to explain to them that it is okay to score less in exams, you can always work hard and score better. It will prepare them for the future. The same goes for heartache. If a relationship doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean the end of life. We should learn from experience and move on. Handling adolescent kids is really important. Kids of that age are driven by emotion and impulse. Moreover, these days, they tend to believe whatever they see on social media. In nuclear families with working parents, kids have to suffer a lot. They don’t really have anyone to share their issues and we need to address that. We also need to ask them to be patient and resilient. I hope, we don’t have to see any saddening cases anymore,” she adds.

Also read: