It’s often more challenging and stressful than rewarding for those who are dedicated to bring social change especially in current times. Our core values of raising questions against injustice, challenging violence and voices critiquing practices of hatred and discrimination are being silenced. Despite immense work on the issues of gender, sexuality and caste, there is increase in gender based violence, gender inequality and Femicide.
Similarly, it's disheartening to see the plight of animal lovers, advocates and activists who work so hard to feed, take care and rescue animals. But, all the effort is met with more hatred from human beings and there's missing compassion towards animals as well as animal activists. Social workers are burdened from all ends – their conscience to support people and animals beyond their capacity, guilt of not being able to support some, lack of support systems and immense emotional toll due to continuous silencing.
With this context, we at Sahas Foundation organized ‘Pause’ mental
health awareness workshop especially for Gender activists and Animal rights
advocates to take a moment to pause, breathe and learn ways to take care of oneself.
The workshop began with mindful meditation – taking long deep breaths
all the while focusing on the instrumental music. This was followed by a
journaling prompt where the participants were invited to write - about a day when
they felt they were silenced at work or in their life.
They were encouraged to write their thoughts and feelings as honestly as
possible since they don’t have to share it with the circle.
On the question of how
do participants cope with stress and anxiety; their responses were as follows –
‘Listening to music,
speaking to friends, go outside and roam freely’
‘Going with friends or
alone in nature – river, forest’
‘I eat something –
particularly something sweet’
‘I dance freely, which
makes me peaceful then I say okay and I move on’
‘Sit silently and
sometimes do shopping’
‘Sometime I listen to
sad songs’
‘I watch Instagram
reels’
‘Speak to my kids’
‘It depends on
situations – sometimes I speak to my partner about how I am feeling low and
sometimes I just become aloof, silent and don’t talk to anyone’
‘I react differently in
different situations. Sometimes I speak to my friends – share things to those
who can understand me. Listen to songs. Sometimes I just sit in silence to
ponder over the reason’
Mona Yadav took some time to engage on which of these are positive
coping mechanisms that can actually help alleviate the mood or ease their stress
and which of these may be maladaptive practices. Further, in the session the facilitator
engaged on the various tools and practices that can support the participants in
fostering positive mental health. First being Journaling- to understand
this practice better, the participants were asked to do free writing on the
best or the most beautiful day from their life. If they have not experienced
such a day, they can write about what would that day look like. She emphasised
that journaling in routine manner can be the first step in dealing with
difficult situations. They can keep a diary which can be a
mirror for them where they can write all good, bad things they are going
through.
Second practise is mindful
meditation. There are daily life situations where they might be
overthinking, struggling to feel present due to which they might be feeling
anxious. Practicing mindful meditation is most useful in those situations. Mindful
meditation is about being aware of your thoughts. Noticing them but, not
engaging with them. The good way to start this is engaging in sound meditation
where they focus on their breathing with the sound.
There was important discourse on social media usage and how social
media detox can be an essential way to foster positive mental health. Taking
a social media break once every month for like a week or so can be very
helpful. Mona Yadav reiterated that these practices should be done regularly
and see what works for them best.
The facilitator did a check-in
post sharing these practises as to how the participants were feeling! The
workshop was full of enthusiastic hearts, thumps up and fireworks.
The next part of the
workshop engaged on understanding emotions and how to deal with them. Some of
the emotions shared by the participants that they experience on daily basis
were - emotional, stress, anger,
tension, work pressure, happiness, tiredness, demotivated, fear and guilt when
they are unable to help someone. Mona Yadav shared that there are primarily six
emotions and others are primarily situations. On asking how many of them have
felt angry or cry in different situations – everyone said yes to both. However
when it came to whether they think getting angry is good or bad; their responses
were mixed.
Mona Yadav invited the
participants to share things that are told to them when they get angry –
‘Why are upset? They
ask for reason’
‘Don’t be so angry’
‘This happens to
everyone. Don’t mind it so much’
‘Kyu muh latka kar
baithe ho?’
‘They start saying that
I have changed, they point out changes in my behaviour. Why are you being
irritating?’
‘When I get angry,
people around me make fun of me, start cracking jokes and try to make me laugh’
‘It pisses me of when I
angry and the others give me silent treatment’
With all these
responses, the facilitator spent
time building an understanding of emotions specifically anger and sadness.
There's a sense of silencing and shaming the expression of emotions in Indian
households. While, they succumb to the external pressures and don't express
emotions but, those fester inside the body leading to adverse physical and
psychological effect. It is important to break the silence on emotions by
understanding the roots of emotions such as anger and sadness. There was
discourse on mental health practices that can help in processing difficult
emotions, mapping the triggers therefore helping in engaging in adaptive behaviours.
She shared two important things – one that is okay to feel different
emotions even anger, guilt or sadness. There is nothing wrong in it. Secondly, thoughts
and emotions are like clouds in the sky.
They
are just mental events, not who they really are. Just like the clouds that are
passing by but, the nature of sky remains blue.
Lastly, she also
discussed the ways to challenge silencing of their voices as social change makers.
Some of the ways are -
1. Understand
that this silencing and oppression is not personal but, systematic. The people
in power don’t want to unveil how flawed and faulty are the systems. They are
propagating injustice, oppression, inequality and violence. Activists are
considered threats because they are unveiling their real faces. So, when they
understand the reason behind silencing – that can help in preventing self-doubt
and criticism. They are doing very important work and they are not alone in
this. All of us are in this together.
2. Community
care is most important as doing this work
alone can be devastating. So, being part of communities, conversations with
like- minded people can be very helpful. All of us gathered here at this
workshop is also an example of a community that cares and can support each
other.
3. Devise
creative ways of expression of social action through writing, art work,
music, poetry and theater.
The session was then
opened to questions, doubts and reflections. There was an important question ‘toxic
people and environment’ which led to discussion on mapping energy, setting
boundaries and ways to deal with such environment and people. The workshop
closed with smiles, satisfaction and few deep breaths.
‘It was a great
experience of participating at the workshop. It was very useful and relatable
‘Very impressive. You
must organize this workshop for our staff on ground.’
‘The tools are
practical and useful. Helpful’
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