Tag: mental health

  • Suicide rate at an all time high in Gilgit Baltistan

    Suicide rate at an all time high in Gilgit Baltistan

    An astounding 85 people have committed suicide since January 2022 in Gilgit Baltistan, including 50 males and 35 females.

    In a shocking revelation made by the Pamir Times, the numbers are showing a grim and a less-talked-about reality of Gilgit Baltistan region where contrary to popular belief, more men and boys are dying by taking their own lives compared to girls and women.

    Due to the stigma attached to suicide, not all cases are reported in the media. Sometimes even homicides are presented as suicides to save the perpetrators.

    There could be a number of factors which are pushing people to the brink but at the heart of it is deteriorating state of mental health among the inhabitants of the region.

    Even though the Government has in recent years made mental health a priority by making a helpline to offer support and counselling, the efforts are not enough.

  • ‘Reach out’: on Mental Health Day, celebrities are opening up about prioritising mental health

    ‘Reach out’: on Mental Health Day, celebrities are opening up about prioritising mental health

    International Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10, when people are encouraged to take steps to take care of their mental well-being. Celebrities like Mawra Hocane and Bollywood director Karan Johar are opening up about their mental health issues and encouraged other people to destroy the stigma that it’s a sign of weakness.

    Actress Mawra Hocane shared a video clip on her Instagram of pictures from her childhood to present, and spoke candidly about how she spent three years trying to take care of her mental health.

    “I have spent the last three years of my life focusing on this little girl.. she needed to heal.. to rest.. to be with herself.. to walk away from the noise & the lights.. find that light within instead.. to work just enough for joy & not find validation in exhaustion… most importantly she wanted to be ‘home’ & home she was after many many many years..”

    The ‘Nauroz’ actress urged her followers to never be afraid to reach out for help, and remember to listen to their body to know when it’s time for them to take a break.

    “Don’t shy away for making yourself a priority, if 2020 taught me anything, it was to not ignore my inner voice, to listen to my body, to chase happiness & nothing else because at the end of the day it’s all that matters..
    Sending love & strength to those who still suffer in silence.”

    ‘Rocky and Rani’ director Karan Johar also took time out to speak about the anxiety attacks he suffered in 2016. In March, the director wrote that his anxiety attacks came back and he knew immediately how to address them.

    “In 2015-2016 I felt the first burst of anxiety and knew within that something was wrong… my friend guided me to a psychologist and after a series of conversations I knew what I was dealing with and adressed it medically and with a change of lifestyle…. Things got better and I weaned off the meds … This year in March this year ( I knew the trigger ) it returned and I knew I had to address it immediately….”

    The K3G director urged followers to take time out to address their mental health the same way they would respond to a physical ailment, and never be afraid to take a break from life and seek professional help if they’re suffering from depression or anxiety.

    “For someone who does battle anxiety or depression “simple solutions like “ … go for a drive !!! Meet friends !! Go for a holiday …. Get a massage … these are red flag conversations to have and you must be educated enough in this zone to even offer advice…
    To family members my advice is simply to make sure that the person going through it seeks professional help…
    We tend to address blood pressure , diabetes , etc with so much instant ease then why neglect mental health….
    More power to those brave ones who acknowledge the issue and address it head on…”

  • Over 60 dead due to instant loan app scam blackmailing with nudes

    Over 60 dead due to instant loan app scam blackmailing with nudes

    A widespread blackmail scam, originating in instant loan apps, has ensnared victims in India and across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with at least 60 Indians resorting to suicide after relentless abuse.

    The BBC conducted an undercover investigation that unveiled the culprits profiting from this pernicious scheme in India and China.

    Bhoomi Sinhaa, a Mumbai-based lawyer, fell victim to this ruthless scheme when she borrowed approximately INR 47,000 ($565; £463) from several loan apps.

    These apps, promising swift loans, often extract personal data and use it to extort users when repayments are delayed. Recovery agents, part of the gig economy, are then tasked with harassing individuals into paying back, resorting to insults and humiliation.

    Bhoomi’s debt spiralled, leading to relentless abuse, threats, and even the release of a manipulated, humiliating photo to her contacts.

    The BBC investigation revealed that at least 60 individuals have taken their own lives due to harassment by these loan apps, with most being young victims who suffered in silence.

    The culprits have managed to stay largely anonymous. However, the BBC did uncover a former debt recovery agent who exposed the system’s brutality.

    Rohan, an ex-employee, recorded over 100 incidents of harassment and abuse, capturing the extortion on camera.

    The most egregious behaviour was observed at Callflex Corporation, where agents were not going rogue but following directions from supervisors, including one named Vishal Chaurasia.

    The recovery process often involves painting victims as fraudsters and thieves and pressuring their contacts.

    The scheme’s sinister nature extends beyond India, involving a Chinese connection. Li Xiang, a Chinese businessman, operates in India through loan apps and recovery services, flouting local laws and resorting to shame to extract repayments.

    He emphasised that their approach is akin to exposing customers to their vulnerability, leaving them “naked” in front of the scammers.

    The emotional and psychological toll on victims like Bhoomi Sinhaa is profound. The shame and ostracization they experience have lasting consequences, with friends, family, and colleagues often distancing themselves from the victims.

    Despite the victims’ efforts to seek justice through police reports and media exposure, the culprits remain elusive, with denials and a lack of cooperation from the companies involved.

    Majesty Legal Services, another implicated company, refuted the allegations, while Li Xiang defended his operations, denying predatory practices.

    This investigation underscores the urgent need for authorities to address this alarming issue, protect vulnerable borrowers, and bring those responsible to justice, all while raising awareness to prevent further harm.

  • Aamir Khan announces next film ‘Sitare Zameen Par’

    Aamir Khan announces next film ‘Sitare Zameen Par’

    Bollywood actor Aamir Khan recieved accolades for his 2007 film ‘Tare Zameen Par’ which explored the struggles of a dyslexic child who is sent to a boarding school after poor academic performance. Now, the actor has confirmed that he is working on a sequel called ‘Sitare Zameen Par’ which will focus on the theme of promoting mental health and children’s rights.

    Speaking to News 18, Aamir said that the sequel will be 10 steps ahead of the original film, stressing that it aims to make the audience laugh instead of crying.

    “I have not spoken about it publicly and I won’t be able to say much now also. But I can tell the title. The title of the film is Sitare Zameen Par. You must have remembered my film Taare Zameen Par and the name of this film is Sitare Zameen Par because we are moving 10 steps ahead with the same theme. Taare Zameen Par was an emotional film, this film will make you laugh. That film made you cry this one will entertain you.”

    Nine boys will help his character in the film, the superstar stated.

    “But the theme is the same that’s why we kept this name very thoughtfully. We all have flaws, we all have weaknesses, but we all also have something special, so we are taking forward this theme but this time the character of the special child Ishaan in that film, my character helps that character in Taare Zameen Par, in Sitare Zameen Par, those 9 boys, who have their own issues they help me. It’s the opposite.”

    ‘Tare Zameen Par’ revolved around the eight-year-old boy Ishaan, who struggles with dyslexia, being labelled a trouble maker by his teachers and family. After being dropped off at a boarding school, he meets art teacher Ram Shankar Nikumbh, who helps him open up with the love of art and becomes his tutor.

  • Gong Yoo opens up about battling mental health issues after the success of K-drama ‘Guardian’

    South Korean actor Gong Yoo cemented himself as an international star after his critically acclaimed drama ‘Guardian: The Great and Lonely God’ aired on Netflix in 2016. The quest for an immortal man or ‘Goblin’, to find his bride who might undo his curse was an instant hit.

    At a recent appearance at the South Korean talk show Pinggyego, Gong Yoo revealed that the success of ‘Goblin’ began taking a toll on his mental health.

    “Guardian: The Lonely and the Great God did very well, but I wasn’t happy. I was happy it did well, but apart from that, there was a time when I felt so empty and I couldn’t wake myself up. It’s not that the work was hard or that it went well, I wasn’t able to enjoy spotlight when projects were a success,” the actor confessed.

    The ‘Coffee Prince’ actor further elaborated that it wasn’t easy to open up about the mental health issues he was dealing with, because it would have made other people seem like he wasn’t grateful for the success the show achieved.

    “It feels like I’m not grateful. After going through a hard time like that, the way I look at people around me changed. I felt like I was more nosy in that I didn’t want them to go through the same hurt.”

    ‘Guardian: The Great and Lonely God’ centers around the Goryeo Dynasty military general Kim-Shin (played by Gong Yoo) who is cursed with immortality after he’s killed by the King. He must live on for generations until he finds the Goblin’s bride: a woman who has the power to pull out the sword in his chest to end his immortality. The drama also stars prominent Korean actress Kim Go-eun and Lee Dong-Wook. On it’s release, ‘Goblin’ was declared a cultural phenomenon in Korea and won numerous awards, including Best Actor for Gong Yoo, and Best Writer for script writer Kim Eun-Sook.

  • Miley dedicates song to Sinead O’Connor, ending dispute with late singer

    Miley dedicates song to Sinead O’Connor, ending dispute with late singer

    Pop star Miley Cyrus has dedicated her song ‘Wonder Woman’ to Sinead O’Connor during an ABC concert special ‘Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions), ending a decade long dispute with the late Irish singer.

    In 2013, the two songstresses engaged in a public clash when Miley’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ video came out. O’Connor wrote an open letter to Miley advising her not to “obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped” by the industry. “None of the men ogling you give a s*** about you either, do not be fooled,” she wrote.

    In response, Miley shared a list of tweets by the late singer, and compared her to the actress Amanda Bynes, who was publicly struggling with her mental health at the same time. O’Connor had been open about mental health struggles, especially the time she spent in psychiatric hospitals. The late singer slammed Cyrus for the response, writing:

    “You have posted today tweets of mine which are two years old, which were posted by me when I was unwell and seeking help so as to make them look like they are recent… In doing so you mock myself and Amanda Bynes for having suffered with mental health issues and for having sought help. I mean really really… who advises you?”

    Now, in the concert special, the former ‘Hannah Montana’ star reflected on the feud, confessing that she wasn’t prepared to be publicly humiliated by another woman, especially one who had been in her position before- but also apologised because she wasn’t aware of Sinead’s fragile mental health state:

    “I was expecting there to be controversy and backlash, but I don’t think I expected other women to put me down or turn on me, especially women that had been in my position before,” said the ‘Flowers’ singer. “This is when I’d received an open letter from Sinead O’Connor, and I had no idea about the fragile mental state that she was in, and I was also only 20 years old, so I could really only wrap my head around mental illness so much. All that I saw was that another woman had told me that this idea was not my idea.”

    “Our younger childhood triggers and traumas come up in weird and odd ways, and I think I’d just been judged for so long for my own choices that I was just exhausted, and I was in this place where I finally was making my own choices and my own decisions, and to have that taken away from me deeply upset me,” she continued. “God bless Sinead O’Connor, for real, in all seriousness.”

  • Aamir Khan’s daughter says he was trigger for her depression

    Aamir Khan’s daughter says he was trigger for her depression

    Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira spoke to ET Times about how she came to recognize her bad mental health, stating that it was her parents’ divorce that triggered the episode. The actor and his first wife, Reena Dutta, divorced amicably in 2002, however, Ira revealed that both Aamir and Reena made her feel that it “was not a big deal”.

    The mental health activist went on to say that because of Aamir and Reena’s divorce, she had mental misunderstandings but never found the courage to discuss them with anyone. Hence, she “blames herself’ for suffering from depression, believing erroneously that one had to be sad to get love from others. On a positive note, she said that now she is working on making herself happy, and has a better relationship with her parents.

    Ira revealed she is in a group chat with her parents and reaches out to them every time she is in need, while her fiance Nupur Shikhare is one of her strongest supporters.

    READ MORE: ‘Mental disorders run in the family’: Aamir Khan’s daughter opens up about dealing with depression, handling parents divorce

    Ira recently made national headlines when she revealed to a publication that mental health disorders run in her family:

    “Every 8-10 months I will have a big crash. It’s partly genetic, partly psychological, and partly social. It took me a while to figure it out. But I have mental health disorders in my family. I also did not make healthy choices and I systematically walked into depression.”

  • ‘Euphoria’ actor Angus Cloud passes away after mental health battle

    ‘Euphoria’ actor Angus Cloud passes away after mental health battle

    Actor Angus Cloud, breakout star of the HBO series ‘Euphoria’, has passed away at the age of 25. According to TMZ, his mother called the Fire Department at around 11:30 am on Monday, reporting a “possible overdose” and said Angus did not have a pulse. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

    According to a source close to the family, Cloud had been battling severe mental health issues since he came back from Ireland after burying his father.

    According to the statement released by the family:

    “It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways.”

    “Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are alone and should not fight this on their own in silence.”

    Several of Euphoria stars like Javon Walton sent their condolences to the actor and his family.

  • Study reveals higher risk of depression in new fathers

    Study reveals higher risk of depression in new fathers

    A study conducted by the University College London (UCL) has highlighted that men also have a high risk of depression during the transformative period of parenthood. The research, which analyzed medical records of 90,000 men who became fathers within the previous year, focused on the mental health of new fathers and its relation to postnatal depression.

    Led by Professor Irene Petersen, the study found that men with a history of depression who had previously used antidepressants were 30 times more likely to be prescribed them again in the first year after their child’s birth. It was emphasized that postnatal depression in fathers was not a risk for all men but rather more likely to affect those already prone to depression.

    This study brings attention to the mental well-being of new fathers, an area often overshadowed by the focus on mental health during pregnancy and postpartum for women. It suggests that fathers should consider having a mental health check-up in the first year after becoming a parent.

    According to Professor Petersen, some of the men in the study continued their existing treatment for depression, while others experienced a relapse of depression without a recent prescription. It’s possible that these individuals were more aware of the symptoms and sought treatment voluntarily. The study focused on the use of antidepressant treatment rather than making a formal diagnosis. The research showed that paternal post-natal depression is not a risk for all men but primarily affects those who are already prone to depression.

    “However, having a child might act as a trigger for depression in some men,” he concluded.

    Another researcher and PhD candidate involved in the study emphasized the intricacy of the connection between depression and fatherhood. They noted that previous antidepressant treatment played a significant role in determining whether antidepressants were used in the year after becoming a parent. This could be attributed to some men continuing the treatment they were on before becoming fathers, while others might be more susceptible to experiencing depressive feelings again, which may be exacerbated by the challenges of parenthood.

    The study also revealed that fathers living in the most deprived areas had an 18 percent higher risk of being prescribed antidepressants compared to fathers in the least deprived areas.

  • ‘Mental disorders run in the family’: Aamir Khan’s daughter opens up about dealing with depression, handling parents divorce

    ‘Mental disorders run in the family’: Aamir Khan’s daughter opens up about dealing with depression, handling parents divorce

    Speaking to The Times Of India, Aamir Khan’s second daughter Ira opened up about mental health struggles, especially with clinical depression which she was diagnosed with five years ago. It was through the help of her father, film star Aamir, that she began seeking help for her mental illness, and learned that her family has a history of mental health disorders.

    Khan revealed that altough her parents divorce had not impacted her much, there were still signs that led her to believe something was wrong and led her to come back to India from the Netherlands:

    “My mom pointed out that I didn’t want to be alive so I would just sleep my day away so that I would have fewer hours to live in a day.”

    Ira said she was on medication now, but still experiences bouts of anxiety, which is taking some time for her to understand how mental health issues are common in her family.

    “Every 8-10 months I will have a big crash. It’s partly genetic, partly psychological, and partly social. It took me a while to figure it out. But I have mental health disorders in my family. I also did not make healthy choices and I systematically walked into depression.”

    Khan spoke about the organisation she had set up Agastu Foundation, which aimed at education people about mental health support and providing them with resources to get better. Her parents, Aamir and Reena Dutta, are both members of the advisory board, and her dad had helped in setting up until Ira was able to recieve funding.