In Conversation With a Mental Health Professional: Part 1

Summary: Trigger Warning: Mentions of anxiety, phobic states, depressive moods, uncertainty, interpersonal problems, paranoia, post traumatic stress disorder, suicidal tendencies, emotional abuse. The last couple of months in entirety have been really challenging, globally as well as locally. The nature of issues around us may differ, however, one feeling that we all have in common is uncertainty. What we understand is that there is no single person who was better equipped or better prepared to deal with the vast ranges of emotions we're experiencing right now, as the lockdown took all of us by surprise. In times like these, what we consider as the 'normal' and the 'routine' has been redefined. To adjust to changes like these can be really tricky, and this is when each one of us resort to our own ways or coping mechanisms in dealing with feelings of anxiousness. There are just so many questions. How do we hold spaces of empathy for others when we're drained with emotions ourselves? For those who are working from home, how do we ensure work doesn't permeate boundaries because there aren't any set 'working hours' anymore? We've heard so many instances of personal spaces being violated by family members, unknowingly. And so, to get these answered, we thought there was nothing better than to come straight to the source. Here we are, in conversation with a mental health professional.