“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.” — Dan Millman
Introduction
In a layman’s terms, health is the condition of complete emotional and physical well-being of an individual. A very important aspect of emotional well-being is ‘mental health’. Mental health and physical fitness cannot be considered to be mutually exclusive. How you think, feel, and act in everyday circumstances is under the influence of your mental health. It also has an impact on your capacity to deal with stress, overcome obstacles, form relationships, and recover from failures and traumas in life. Mental well-being encompasses more than the mere absence of mental illnesses. We all go through disappointments, losses, and transitions. Even though these feelings and experiences are part and parcel of life, they can create grief, anxiety, and tension. Individuals with excellent mental health are more able to rebound from adversity, trauma, and stress, just as physically fit people are better able to rebound from disease or injury. This ability is known as resilience. People who are emotionally and mentally resilient can deal with hardship while maintaining a positive outlook. In both good and terrible times, they stay focused, adaptable, and productive.
Why is mental health important?
Confidence, self-esteem, self-efficacy, happiness, and contentment are all crucial aspects of mental health. While it is natural for one’s mood to change from day to day, this overall sense of well-being should be the default setting — the place where we spend the most of our time. It goes hand in hand with a degree of cognitive and emotional functioning that allows us to fully understand and enjoy the events and people in our lives. Mental disease, on the other hand, cripples a person’s well-being. Sensations of overload, obsessiveness, dissociation, and extreme high or low states are totally natural, but mental illness develops when these feelings become chronic, and become our default condition.
The existence of a “mental health crisis” is now widely acknowledged- the statistics are alarming and deserve serious attention from the medical community, law makers and public citizens alike. For example, the World Health Organization has long predicted an increase in mental disease, making the following predictions:
- Depression will be the second greatest cause of disability worldwide by 2020, behind only ischemic heart disease (World Health Organization, 1996), and-
- By 2030, mental illness will be the main cause of missed work time (World Health Organisation, 2008).
People who are mentally stable have the following features:
- A sense of accomplishment.
- Have a sense of humour and having a good time with others.
- There is a purpose of meaning in activities as well as in relationships.
- The capability to react to new situations and develop new skills.
- A healthy balance lifestyle of work and play, relaxation and activity, and so on.
However, there are exceptions. A person cracking jokes all the time may be indicative of an underlying problem.
Why do we frequently neglect out mental health needs?
Even in today’s modern and comprehensive society, many of us are unwilling — or unable — to treat our mental health issues. This might be due to various factors, which includes:
- Mental and emotional problems have little or no importance in certain communities as compared to physical problems. They are viewed as a sign of weakness, or as if they were our own fault.
- Some individuals believe that mental health issues are something that we should be able to “snap out of.” Men, in particular, are more likely to store up their emotions rather than reach out for help.
- We are focused with finding quick, simple solutions to complicated challenges in our fast-paced environment. We seek connection with others by monitoring social media obsessively rather than reaching out to individuals in person. Similarly, we would rather take a medication to improve our mood and alleviate sadness than address the underlying causes. This approach is recommended against as it spells disaster in the long run.
- Many individuals believe that if they seek help for mental or emotional issues, the only treatment options are medicine (which has negative side effects) or counseling (which can be lengthy and expensive). Do not get swayed by public perception, reach out and consult with an expert.
Why it is difficult for the lawyers to maintain proper health lifestyle?
Now that we have established a few basic definitions of how mentally individuals operate, it is critical to comprehend the circumstances that drive attorneys to fall behind the general public in so many areas of mental health. While few rigorous scientific research have been attempted to uncover these characteristics. There are two types of factors leading: a) variables linked to the different sorts of persons who are falling into the profession of law, and b) factors related to the nature of practicing law.
People who choose to attend law school are often high achievers, bright, and hard workers. They have most likely done well in life and have always been in the highest of their grades. Because everyone else in law is used to being at the top, this is where things take a rough turn. Harbouring uber-high expectations and failing them might lead to low self-esteem and self-worth issues. The practice of law itself frequently generates a difficult, high-stress environment that might endure for hours or even days. Lawyers are simply people, even if they try to work superhuman hours or anticipate superhuman outcomes on occasion. Another aspect that has to be factored is the nature of the work which usually involves impacting human lives. As humans, attorneys are vulnerable to all of the childhood events, genetic programming, and other potential flaws that may lead to mental health issues.
Why Face to Face Conversation is required for Lawyers or Law Students?
The key is to talk to someone who is a good listener; you can talk on a regular basis to someone who will listen to you without imposing their own ideas and stereotypes on how you should think or feel and behave. A good listener will not interrupt, condemn, or criticize you, but will listen to the sentiments underlying your words. There are several mental health support groups; many lawyers seek assistance from these groups. Seeking help from someone does not mean you are weak, and it does not put you in a position where you are an inconvenience to others. If you do not have anybody to turn to, try some effective strategies to make new acquaintances and expand your support system e.g. face-to-face communication with individuals you meet during the day, such as neighbors, people in the public transport, or the person who serves you your morning tea/coffee. Hence, making direct eye contact and offering a pleasant welcome, a smile, or small chat will give you positive vibes.
Tips for Lawyers or Law Students for Maintaining Proper Mental Health:
- Practice self-care and prioritize own self – Taking care of your body is the first step in practicing self-care. To do so, you must: Eat a nutritious diet – study has proven that what you eat—and don’t eat—has an impact on how you think and feel and behave. Exercise aids in the reduction of sadness and anxiety as well as in the improvement of emotions. Also have plenty of rest.
- Start doing Meditation or Yoga Relaxation techniques can help you feel better about yourself and your life. Studies have suggested that meditation and allied activities like yoga might help you feel more relaxed.
- Avoid Substance Use as Medication: It is essential to limit alcohol consumption and abstain from other substances. Many people use alcohol and other drugs to “self-medicate,” but substance abuse may make it difficult to perform at job or school, have a stable home life, deal with life’s challenges, and relate to others.
- Take help from Mental Health Professionals, if necessary: Receiving assistance is a show of strength, and not a sign of weakness. Mental health, like physical health, takes work to achieve and sustain. If you believe you need assistance, speak with a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist for further guidance. Overlooking the first indication can lead to the ‘snowball’ effect.
- Sharing Your Own Feelings: Bottling up your feelings and suppressing your thoughts has never done anyone any good. Talking to someone might help you deal with the situation you have been thinking about for a long time. Simply being heard by someone else might make you feel more supported and less lonely. It also works the other way around. By opening up, you might encourage others as well. Also make it a point to support others if they wish to speak with you. Growing together is an important aspect of augment the mental health situation in our contry.
- Take Breaks: A change of environment or rhythm is beneficial to your mental health. It only takes some time to de-stress yourself. Make some ‘love space’ for yourself. Taking a rest might imply being really active doing something else or it may mean doing nothing at all. Relax by taking a big breath. Pay attention to your body. Avoid uninterrupted, long, .working hours. Our mental takes a hit if we are sleep-deprived or if we have an abnormal sleep cycle, and our focus decreases as a result. The world can wait on occasion.
- Do What you are Good At: Stress may be reduced by having fun. Doing something you like is likely to mean that you are good at it, and accomplishing anything in the field increases your self-esteem. Concentrating on a hobby such as cooking or the crossword puzzle might help you forget about your problems and temporarily recalibrate your attitude. You are who you are, and it is important that you embrace it. You may express yourself artistically by garnishing a dish for an hour. A morning spent playing a sport keeps you active and allows you to meet new people.
- Setting Boundaries: When it comes to self-care, boundaries are crucial. Personal or professional boundaries are the physical, emotional, and mental limitations, standards, or regulations you establish to assist you define your duties and actions in a particular circumstance while also allowing you to take care of yourself. They can also assist you in identifying actions and behaviors that you find offensive. They are necessary for a healthy self and a good legal practice. In essence, they aid in the formation of relationships between you and others.
- Caring for Others: Caring for others is a big element of maintaining connections with your friends, family, and close associates. It may even help you become closer. It also allows us to perceive the world from a different perspective. This can assist us in putting our own difficulties into context. Caring for an animal can also enhance your mental health. For example, chatting with other dog walkers is a popular way for people to establish friends.
- Be sensible and introspect: .Everyone reacts to sensory input in their own unique way, so start trying right away to see what works best for you. You will be able to rapidly relax yourself no matter where or when stress strikes once you understand how your nervous system reacts to sensory input.
Conclusion
It is unfortunate that Indian society still largely associates mental health with clinical insanity and other taboo. Worse still, in some places mental illness is portrayed as a sin and person concerned can be isolated in terms of social interaction. It therefore comes as no surprise that people are usually quick to dismiss mental illnesses and make excuses instead of acknowledging and addressing the issue head-on. However, the world is changing and faced with a global pandemic and resultant issues, more and more people are now recognizing the need to prioritise mental health. This article has touched upon a few simple yet effective methods to enhance your mental health on a regular basis. It is important to remember that is therapy is effective- people with mental illnesses may recover and live full, productive, and meaningful lives if they receive the proper care. Lawyers who are suffering from mental health or drug abuse issues must take steps to improve their condition.
YLCC would like to thank Shatakshee Chatterjee for her valuable inputs in this article.
