Mental Health Experts Talk About Their Own Mental Health Challenges in the first of its kind initiative by the Hugging Club of India
Psychiatrist Dr Nilesh Shah talks about his anxiety attacks & over-anxious personality in conversation with Umang Sheth – founder of The Hugging Club Of India on 1st October’22.
Dr Nilesh Shah explained that in the past, people often thought that if they would meet a psychiatrist they would be considered mad . There has been stigma to meet a psychiatrist as they were considered the ones who treat mad people and due to that people didn’t meet them even they needed help .
The doctor explained that he also suffered from an over-anxious personality since childhood. He didn’t notice it earlier but later he realized about this aspect of his personality .
He used to reach quite early to the railway station or any event to avoid anxiety. Similarly, he used to reach hours ago in marriages too . He further explained that there are always deep rooted reasons for anxiety as he elaborated about ANTS (ie automatic negative thoughts ) in his case. He often assumed various negative possibilities and to avoid them, he tried to reach earlier in events. He also felt a little cautious that people may talk negatively about him if he would get late , and would think he is careless since he is a renowned psychiatrist . Yet there is difference between probability and possibility. Like if one goes for an event an hour ago where they are supposed to reach in 20 minutes by vehicle , the probability will be 1 in 100 that they may get late yet if they will have ANTs in their mind ie automatic negative thoughts , they will assume that they can get late and due to that they could reach quite earlier to avoid anxiety related to those automatic negative thoughts .
He managed his anxiety disorder with the help of family members, friends and with his awareness about possibility ( which could be due to automatic negative thoughts ) and probability. Anyone can develop psychiatric disorders. It depends on their genes , susceptibility and nature where they are in. People often assume that psychiatrists or psychologists have chosen this field because they also had a disorder. This is not necessarily true. It could be just a choice of profession due to interest or for building a career. Many psychiatrists may be open about their mental health challenges and disorders like anxiety disorder, OCD or past depression that may help them connect with patients and make them feel little comfortable. However, they may not feel comfortable about opening up if they suffer from Schizophrenia , Bipolar , BPD , or other addictions like alcohol or substance due to negative judgments . His profession, clients and work didn’t get affected by his anxiety disorder because he had reached earlier to take class or attend meetings, besides that he has been good at his work. So it didn’t affect his work negatively .
People stigmatized therapy and assumed that they could not be helped in their anxiety, mental and emotional health . They could not understand how just going to the therapist and venting out or crying can be helpful. They can also cry themselves but actually with the right sort of medications and counselling techniques, there could be a lot of help in anxiety and mental health, the good doctor concluded.
If you wish to listen to the entire recording of this session, visit this Youtube link:
– Transcribed by Rev
– Edited and published by Mahrukh