A stronger Adversity Quotient (AQ) is required even after the lockdown to resist the cases of suicide and depression and it also can be restricted by talking emotionally to the person in depression, Institute of Behaviour & Allied Sciences Director Dr Nimesh G Desai said.
With nationwide lockdown is in place, the country has witnessed a spike in the cases of depression and suicide.
An virtual event HEAL-Thy Samvaad was organised to make public aware about stress, depression and suicides and ways to deal with them.
While addressing the HEAL-Thy Samvaad and responding to the importance of ‘Adversity Quotient, Dr Desai said, “Adversity Quotient (AQ) is a measure to see how an individual reacts or behaves when faced by a challenge of adversity in life. Therefore, we need to focus on being strong, smart and emotionally resilient.”
“We can also manage the stress level if our AQ is strong,” he added.
Adding further, Dr Desai said “It may not be 100% true in case of Sushant Singh Rajput, but as far as the drug adherence is concerned, generally, we have seen a tendency of a lot of psychiatric patients discontinuing their prescribed drugs and not adhering to the medication given by the experts and doctors which results in poor management of mental health and may also lead to suicidal tendencies.”
The issues of alleviating the fear of the pandemic and making hygiene habit a part of the routine; the importance of food for healthy body and mind; stepping out and stepping safely after the lockdown, were also addressed by the experts and discussed at length.
Deliberating on the importance of right kind of food for a healthy mind and body, Consultant Nutrition at Max Multispecialty Hospital Manjari Chandra said, “Although the fear of COVID-19 is looming large, yet no need to fear rather be cautious and maintain the right diet, focus on indigenous foods, healthy lifestyle, regular exercise and home-cooked foods — these are the keys to stay healthy.”
“We need to follow the regimen of intermittent fasting, which the Indian people have been following from time immemorial and the ancient ritual of cooking food at home with due cleanliness — these are the real mantra to stay healthy always,” she added.
Citing an instance of Samvaad (Dialogue) between Arjuna & Lord Sri Krishna from Mahabharata mentioned in Bhagwat Gita and its significance, Dr C S Pandav, President ICCIDD & former HoD, Deptt of Community Medicine, AIIMS, said, “Samvaad (Dialogue) is a mode of education, which plays a pivotal role in making the people learn and spread the messages widely. The misinformation about COVID-19 pandemic is galore. Now, we are into the pandemic of fear, the pandemic of misery and the pandemic of migrants.”
Along with boosting bodily immunity, “we need to improve our social & economic immunity to face and fight this pandemic. And we must pay respect to our healthcare workers — doctors, nurses and police who are riding the valley of death to save the people from this pandemic,” Dr Pandey said.