I do get to see innumerable clients who come for treatment at a time when their problems have either become very complicated or may be very hard to treat. Thanks to modern interventions, even the most complex cases can be treated successfully.
The other day, I had quite a few very typical cases of how self-neglect can bring along almost irreparable states. I am not seeing neglected cases for the first time. I have been encountering end-stage patients ever since I began my clinical practice. I feel sad and bad when I see such patients being disregarded to the point of no – return.
First, is the story of a 39-year-old woman, who was divorced by her husband as she used to take 6 – 8 hours each time she went to the bathroom, she also had a serious over-cleanliness issue along with obsessive slowness in all kinds of activities. She lost her lucrative job too. She is bankrupt now. She has 2 kids. As you can understand, being a single mother along with such severe OCD, she is in a very tight spot. She admitted to having neglected her problems. Even her parents did not take it seriously. After I initiated treatment, she improved quite a bit, but there is a long way to go. This is a classical case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
After the Covid Pandemic struck, as everyone knows it has to be prevented by maintaining cleanliness. The entire situation has led to a sudden and massive rise in the number of cases, suffering from OCD. Every day, I have at least, 5 – 8 cases who are suffering from Hypochondriasis (Illness Phobia) and/or, OCD as a result of my cleanliness routine (wearing masks, washing hands frequently, using hand sanitizers, and maintaining social distancing) which everyone is being constantly told to follow strictly.
Then there is a 25-year-old boy, who has stopped going out of his house, keeps all the windows and doors closed, talks and smiles to himself refuses to eat or take bath, gets violent without any apparent reason, and is a college dropout. He is very suspicious of the people around him. He ‘thinks’ that everyone is talking about him all the time and that many of them are conspiring against him and are also remote-controlling his thoughts and actions. These symptoms are suggestive of delusions and hallucinations. He also has developed suicidal tendencies. This boy has got Schizophrenia. This illness is a deadly one. It is the ultimate form of madness. Just like most mental disorders, Schizophrenia is on the rise and there are various reasons behind it. I shall discuss it in more detail and other common mental disorders in my upcoming blogs.
I have also seen heart – broken and devastated parents, coming to my clinic for mental support and solace after their kids took their lives.
Then there are warring couples who never took any professional help but only witnessed their relationships and marriages go to dogs.
I always tell all my clients and parents that this is what happens when you neglect mental problems and personal issues. In most cases, they accept that they are directly responsible for the Crisis.
You don’t need to be highly educated to grasp the importance of Mental Health. I find it pretty strange that even when family members see ‘unusual changes’ in someone close to them, they either don’t take it seriously, or else ‘believe’ that there’s nothing much to worry about and presume that things will be alright soon. It is callousness at its worst.
It is tragic that most of us despite being so educated and well-heeled nowadays, are still continuing to be so ignorant and indifferent towards Mental Health.
You got to take Mental Health seriously. Mental Illnesses are just as real as high blood pressure, high sugar in your blood, blocks in your heart, and clots in your head.
Do away with all the false notions and prejudices about mental illnesses. You have to be familiar with all kinds of basic information related to the sickness of our mind and behavior. There are hundreds of sites on the Net and thousands of informative books related to Mental Health. Take some interest and read up on all that you need to know about Mental Disorders.
You ought to take Mental Health seriously. The price is heavy if you don’t!