Get surrounded by people who 'love and listen', says Donal Bisht

After having worked in the airline industry and also as a journalist Donal Bisht decided to shift gears and take the proverbial plunge in showbiz She had even participated in lsquoBigg Boss 15rsquo and that too without watching a single season of Bigg Boss as per her own confession Today on the occasion of lsquoWorld Mental health Dayrsquo MidDay Online met up with the actress wherein she spoke about how to identify a person with mental health issues and in what way we can helpDonal do you know what the theme of this yearrsquos lsquoWorld Mental Health DayrsquoYes I guess it is to make mental health and wellbeing a global priority for all I truly believe that mental health is wealth that enables you to take care of your physical health Its time that we walk the talk and make the society a more inclusive and unpolarized place by taking small steps to augur mental wellbeing among all We need to understand that it doesnt take an incident or an occasion to trigger mental health issues and firstly need to educate ourselves about the causes prevention and support surrounding mental health The more we learn the more armed we are as a nation to tackle this menaceHave you ever struggled with any kind of clinically diagnosed mental health condition If so will you be comfortable sharing your experienceNo I havent ever been clinically diagnosed with any mental health condition I make a conscious choice to stay mentally positive and healthy at all times However Ill be lying if I say that Ive always been in charge of my mental health because as a kid you end up fighting so many demons in your head without even realizing what they mean And then we are often shy of discussing it with our near and dear ones because of the stigma associated with it Its important for people to first learn what qualifies as indicators of mental issues and then tackle it accordingly We need to be taught to distinguish good mental health vs red flagsAlso Read Katrina Kaif REVEALED Vicky Kaushalrsquos reaction to Phone Bhootrsquos trailer What personal development efforts have you made to ensure a sound mental healthEating well sleeping on time having an outlook of gratitudetowards life and living the moment one day at a time has helped me enormously Additionally physical activity leads to mental fitness so workouts for me are often a way to disconnect reboot revive and sustainWhen do you think that mental health issues need to be addressedIve never had these issues fortunately but have known of people grappling with it Ive had friends whove spent hours and hours crying to me and all they needed at that point in time was to be heard and understood minus the prejudices Surrounding yourself with people who love and listen is key to mental wellnessHaving said that when I feel like my mental state is in jeopardy and its taking a toll on my overall wellbeing I as a thumb rule discuss my emotions with family or friends And most importantly I take some time off work to introspect and indulge in things that make me happy I ensure a regular wholesome trip with my inner circle to reorient my energies spend some quality metime and keep my mental health in check Once I feel like myself again Im back to the grind I recently returned from my holiday with my family that has refueled me and restored me for the next couple of monthsDo you think that talking discussing the mental health issue with someone should helpAs I said I personally have never experienced this but I cant emphasize the important role of dialogue while tackling mental health issues If youre not comfortable discussing this with a loved one get professional consultation deciphering your thoughts and feelings Most problems arise because we dont allow ourselves to understand our real self Selfawareness is critical so that you can catch the warning signs early on Empathy plays a critical role too in mental health prevention and supportive careWhat according to you helps us identify the people with mental issuesThere really cannot be a cookiecutter way to approach this But your first indicators are change in moods temperament and overall outlook towards life But dont dive in with the insipid hey why are you behaving so differently these days but with a more amenable If you want to discuss something with me Im here conversation starterThese days many people young and old are becoming victims day by day to the silent problem of mental health Is there anything that you want to tell themYes I want to tell them that its okay to not be okay At a time when we are striving for perfection it is silently building pressure and anxiety among people While yes mental health is still a stigma we as a society are taking steps in the right direction Every problem has a solution and if you cant find it autonomously lets arrive at it unanimously Also lets do away with tags and labels preventing people from having normal and open conversations about mental health Additionally like physical health needs care and attention mental health requires it too There are a dozen of helpline that enable access to medical experts who can buddyup with you when you feel like you need assistanceWhat has been your greatest achievement so farIt definitely would be the selfwillingness to move out of my comfort zone to grow and surpass myself I strongly believe that growth starts at the finish line of the comfort zone although its not very easy mentally I let TV take a backseat to widen my horizon as an actor and am embracing the risk of uncertainty without allowing it to hamper my mental healthHow do you motivate yourself dailyWith positive thoughts words and meditation to keep me calm enough to cruise the day smoothly and holistically Also I start my day with Yoga and a gratitude prayer for the smallest of things I have in my life It makes me feel whole and anchoredAlso Read Soha Ali Khan shares photos with Sharmila Tagore Saif Kunal Khemu and kids