These Comics About Promoting Mental Health Awareness Are Truly The Need Of The Hour

Mental health is perhaps one of the most neglected topics in our society. Mental health, as well as the diseases associated with it, have been always seen as taboo because people believe that if somebody is diagnosed with such a disease, they are essentially “crazy”.

Awareness regarding mental health is so alarmingly low that people who are actually affected by such diseases refrain from talking about them, for fear that they will be treated differently by their friends and family. If they do confide in someone, they are told that it’s all “in their head” and encourage them to go out more or meet with people to ‘ignore’ the disease.

This is why Mounica Tata, an artist who handles an Instagram account by the handle doodleodrama decided to take matters into her own hands and expressed the importance of mental health awareness through her art. And, let me just say, these will hit you where it hurts.

1. Something a lot of people don’t understand when you tell them some situations makes you more anxious than others. Trying to mingle around does not seem like an option

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1. A N X I E T Y. Social anxiety, panic attacks, fear. A very common mental disorder, 10 million cases per year in India alone. I’m kickstarting #areyouok – Heads up! This isn't sponsored and this isn't a collaboration with any organization/brand. I've been sitting on and mulling over this subject for a while now and finally decided to put my thoughts on canvas! . . . I am posting this with a couple of agendas in mind; a) to start a dialogue on mental health and raise awareness b) hopefully help people understand and take this issue seriously c) to encourage people to be more sensitive, receptive, and compassionate. . . . Trigger Warning: This post is about anxiety, loneliness, depression, etc. If these topics make you uncomfortable or if it upsets you or if you do not wish to read and engage, you can maybe skip this one ^_^ . . . Mental illness is hard because how do you run away from something that's inside your mind? It's even harder to explain/put in words because there are just so many feelings and emotions. The mind becomes a carnival of anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, depression, stress, panic attacks,etc. . . . Take a good look around, for you might identify with some of these emotions or know someone who needs help! . . . A lot of times, we either don’t realise what we’re going through, we don’t understand or we want to deny it. It’s ok to feel not ok. But reach out, seek medical help, talk about it. Here are a few links that might/might not help but no harm checking them out : 1. http://www.tiss.edu/view/11/projects/icall-telephonic-counselling-service-for-individua/ 2. http://thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/ 3. http://www.parivartanfoundation.com/ #mentalhealth #disorders #stopromanticisingmentalillness #illness #anxiety #endtheshame #speakup #selfcare #areyouok

A post shared by Mounica Tata (@doodleodrama) on

2. Being alone in a room and being lonely in a place full of people is not the same thing.

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2. L O N E L I N E S S. Being alone is very very different from feeling lonely. Depersonalisation and de-realisation are not made up illnesses. I’m kickstarting #areyouok – Heads up! This isn't sponsored and this isn't a collaboration with any organization/brand. I've been sitting on and mulling over this subject for a while now and finally decided to put my thoughts on canvas! . . . I am posting this with a couple of agendas in mind; a) to start a dialogue on mental health and raise awareness b) hopefully help people understand and take this issue seriously c) to encourage people to be more sensitive, receptive, and compassionate. . . . Trigger Warning: This post is about anxiety, loneliness, depression, etc. If these topics make you uncomfortable or if it upsets you or if you do not wish to read and engage, you can maybe skip this one ^_^ . . . Mental illness is hard because how do you run away from something that's inside your mind? It's even harder to explain/put in words because there are just so many feelings and emotions. The mind becomes a carnival of anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, depression, stress, panic attacks,etc. . . . Take a good look around, for you might identify with some of these emotions or know someone who needs help! . . . A lot of times, we either don’t realise what we’re going through, we don’t understand or we want to deny it. It’s ok to feel not ok. But reach out, seek medical help, talk about it. Here are a few links that might/might not help but no harm checking them out : 1. http://www.tiss.edu/view/11/projects/icall-telephonic-counselling-service-for-individua/ 2. http://thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/ 3. http://www.parivartanfoundation.com/ #mentalhealth #disorders #stopromanticisingmentalillness #illness #anxiety #endtheshame #speakup #selfcare #areyouok

A post shared by Mounica Tata (@doodleodrama) on

3. Pretense is often the solution we run towards when we have nowhere to go, at least you don’t have to keep explaining why you’re sad.

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3. P R E T E N C E. Pretending, faking,living in denial becomes much easier for most of us than actually facing the problem or addressing/acknowledging the fact that we are not ok. I’m kickstarting #areyouok – Heads up! This isn't sponsored and this isn't a collaboration with any organization/brand. I've been sitting on and mulling over this subject for a while now and finally decided to put my thoughts on canvas! . . . I am posting this with a couple of agendas in mind; a) to start a dialogue on mental health and raise awareness b) hopefully help people understand and take this issue seriously c) to encourage people to be more sensitive, receptive, and compassionate. . . . Trigger Warning: This post is about anxiety, loneliness, depression, etc. If these topics make you uncomfortable or if it upsets you or if you do not wish to read and engage, you can maybe skip this one ^_^ . . . Mental illness is hard because how do you run away from something that's inside your mind? It's even harder to explain/put in words because there are just so many feelings and emotions. The mind becomes a carnival of anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, depression, stress, panic attacks,etc. . . . Take a good look around, for you might identify with some of these emotions or know someone who needs help! . . . A lot of times, we either don’t realise what we’re going through, we don’t understand or we want to deny it. It’s ok to feel not ok. But reach out, seek medical help, talk about it. Here are a few links that might/might not help but no harm checking them out : 1. http://www.tiss.edu/view/11/projects/icall-telephonic-counselling-service-for-individua/ 2. http://thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/ 3. NIMHANS (Bangalore) 4. Cadabam’s (Bangalore) 5. White Swan Foundation 6. The mind research foundation 7. Hope trust #mentalhealth #disorders #stopromanticisingmentalillness #illness #anxiety #endtheshame #speakup #selfcare #gethelp #dontsufferinsilence #reachout #areyouok

A post shared by Mounica Tata (@doodleodrama) on

4. It can be difficult to tell yourself that you matter but trust me, you do.

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4. INSIGNIFICANT & INVISIBLE. Sometimes it feels like you are playing an extra in your own life. Will anyone even notice if & when you’re gone? Feeling invisible, insignificant, and inconsequential isn’t a good feeling. I know it can be difficult but do tell yourself that YOU matter, everyday. SWIPE 👈🏽 . . . I’m kickstarting #areyouok – Heads up! This isn't sponsored and this isn't a collaboration with any organization/brand. I've been sitting on and mulling over this subject for a while now and finally decided to put my thoughts on canvas! . . . I am posting this with a couple of agendas in mind; a) to start a dialogue on mental health and raise awareness b) hopefully help people understand and take this issue seriously c) to encourage people to be more sensitive, receptive, and compassionate. . . . Trigger Warning: This post is about anxiety, loneliness, depression, etc. If these topics make you uncomfortable or if it upsets you or if you do not wish to read and engage, you can maybe skip this one ^_^ . . . Mental illness is hard because how do you run away from something that's inside your mind? It's even harder to explain/put in words because there are just so many feelings and emotions. The mind becomes a carnival of anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, depression, stress, panic attacks,etc. . . . Take a good look around, for you might identify with some of these emotions or know someone who needs help! . . . A lot of times, we either don’t realise what we’re going through, we don’t understand or we want to deny it. It’s ok to feel not ok. But reach out, seek medical help, talk about it. Here are a few links that might/might not help but no harm checking them out : 1. http://www.tiss.edu/view/11/projects/icall-telephonic-counselling-service-for-individua/ 2. http://thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/ 3. NIMHANS (Bangalore) 4. Cadabam’s (Bangalore) 5. White Swan Foundation 6. The mind research foundation 7. Hope trust #mentalhealth #disorders #stopromanticisingmentalillness #illness #anxiety #endtheshame #speakup #selfcare #areyouok

A post shared by Mounica Tata (@doodleodrama) on

5. The lack of self-esteem gives rise to suffocation but talking about it can give you a renewed voice.

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5. S U F F O C A T E D. “Hush mind, not so loud. What if they hear you. Us.” SWIPE 👈🏽 #areyouok. This isn’t the end. The dialogue on mental health has just begun. Reach out, speak up, and listen. I’m overwhelmed with the response this campaign received. Your comments and DMs are so so precious! I hope we all fight our demons, it’s ok to not feel ok but it’s also ok to ask for help. Please don’t suffer in silence. . . . I cannot thank you all enough for the encouragement and strength you guys have given ME in the past few days/week. I hope the conversations don’t stop here. A BIG hug to all of you! . . Here are a few links that might/might not help but no harm checking them out : 1. http://www.tiss.edu/view/11/projects/icall-telephonic-counselling-service-for-individua/ 2. http://thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/ 3. NIMHANS (Bangalore) 4. Cadabam’s (Bangalore) 5. White Swan Foundation 6. The mind research foundation 7. Hope trust #mentalhealth #disorders #stopromanticisingmentalillness #illness #anxiety #endtheshame #speakup #selfcare #areyouok

A post shared by Mounica Tata (@doodleodrama) on

This is not the end of her series about spreading awareness and we are so proud that somebody had the courage to speak up. Dealing with issues which you can’t explain can be difficult but sometimes, you just need to open up and fight your demons to the best of your abilities.

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