MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT A WASTEFUL INVESTMENT!

“Oh no! I don’t have enough money for luxuries.”

Now suppose, unfortunately, one of these people get in an accident and break their leg. What do you think will the person do? It’s simple. They will go to the doctor, pay the heavy fees for consultation and for the cast for their leg, and do as the doctor advises them to do. Pretty ordinary right? That’s what anybody would do. Let’s take another example from the group of these people. One of them is diagnosed with cancer. Now what would the person do? Obviously, they will do anything they can do save their life and become healthy again. They’ll find the money from somewhere and pay for the cancer treatment which, believe you me, costs a fortune. Now suddenly why did they have the money? In both the cases, they shouldn’t have the sufficient amount of money to pay for their treatment. But they did pay. Why? Because they want to be and seem healthy, physically at least.

Now let’s consider a person who harms themselves. They make a cut on their arm. You see the cut and immediately tend to the wound. You scold them for what they have done and to never repeat it. It is a bad thing. You shouldn’t physically harm yourself, intentionally more so. But did anybody think about the reason why the person did the act? Turns out the person suffers from a mental illness that gives them so much pain mentally that they have to tear themselves apart physically to feel relieved. They want the pain to come out of their bodies and this way seems to be the only one that works. Now it may sound crazy, but this is a real disease. There comes a point when you can’t deal with the mental strain and you want the pain to go away by any means possible. This happens mostly because the mental strain isn’t taken out by appropriate and harmless means.

Now normally, the person should go to a psychologist and psychiatrist for treatment but they don’t. Why? Because they think it’s a waste of money. It’s a luxury. Why should they have to pay anything just to regularly talk to and consult a doctor and take medicines that show no physical effect? But they don’t understand that the mental strain they have isn’t normal strain. It’s an illness. Over time, if untreated, it will keep getting worse. Today it’s just a cut on the arm, later that may turn into suicide attempts. Now do you still think that mental illness treatment is a luxury? Of course it isn’t. it’s a necessity to treat mental illnesses as a priority just like any physical illness. It’s not a luxury.

You think you are saving money for the future, but what future do you have if you aren’t healthy? Both physical and mental health hold equal importance. You can’t run a marathon if you injure your leg.  At the same time, you can’t lift a spoon if you are mentally ill. How will you perform daily tasks if they are too much for you, mentally? They tire you out so much you can’t do anything else. You can’t fight mental illness without help. So reach out. Go to the doctor. Save your future. Don’t wait to see it crash down in front of you forever. It will happen if you don’t reach out. Of this, I can guarantee. Don’t make mental health your least priority. Make it your foremost priority. If you are mentally healthy, only then can you fight physical illnesses. That’s the reality.

There will be no future for the money you are saving by not going to the doctor. Spend today, save tomorrow. Don’t be afraid. Those who have gone through this will understand what I’m trying to explain. Consult before it’s too late. Save yourself and the people around you. 

Be your own savior.