On 1st October 2023, HCI began an interesting series wherein mental health professionals spoke about their challenges while facing their own mental illness.
The first doctor to address us in this series was the renowned Magsaysay award winner Dr. Bharat Vatwani.
Mental Health Expert with a History of Mental Illness !
The problem of mental illness is quite widespread. No class, gender, religion, profession (even if one is a mental health expert! ) is spared.
This is about a journey of a mental health practitioner, Dr Bharat Vatwani, who has dealt with his own mental illness and has offered to talk about it.
He recollects being deeply affected by miseries of destitute, mentally ill and otherwise. It was one of the triggering factors to his depression. At times he felt suicidal too.
In his session, Dr. Bharat Vatwani spoke about how one must not feel ashamed about one’s depression or seeking professional help or taking medications if prescribed.
The least one must do is to Reach Out and Help others Reach Out. There Is always Hope.
Outling his journey of a mental health practitioner, Dr Bharat Vatwani, recalled his tough childhood days.
Having lost his father at the age of 12, childhood was an uphill struggle along with his mother and siblings, in trying to make ends meet.
Dr.Bharat Vatwani did his Post Graduation Degree in Psychiatry from Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai.
The good doctor founded Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation at Karjat, in the year 1988, to deal with the tragedy of the mentally ill destitute wandering aimlessly on the streets of India.
He faced strong resistance from local residents, when he tried to set up this small rescue facility in a residential area.
In one isolated incidence of rescue, he happened to meet Baba Amte and his son Prakash Amte. Both became a source of further inspiration to him.
His resilience, sincerity, efforts, and support from his wife and others along with a virtual “Obsession” with the cause led him to establish Shraddha at Karjat .
Imagine 10000 reunions! Each a story in itself.
Knowing him is important from many angles.
His candid chat revealed that ‘Any Person’ can have vulnerabilities, stress issues, depression, suicidal thoughts. The Doctor, being a mental health practitioner himself, is candid about his depressive phases, having sought and received help and support through counselling. He is not opaque about having taken medicine for the same.
He further stressed the fact that – If interacting with a psychiatrist / counsellor does not work for any reasons, one must express to the latter or look for another while understandably, it might be difficult to switch to another resource.
Different approaches work for different people.
Yoga, Spirituality may work for some, while some people could be averse.
Professional guidance is of absolute essence; the psychiatrist will work along with the patient as a team, and suggest a suitable solution to address the issue. Depression may not go away completely, but can be managed.
Coming back to the cause, looking at it conversely –
Who would have thought there was hope for mentally ill destitute. They were rescued. We all could too, no matter who we are. No doubt a lot more needs to be done. And it will always be incomplete.
Dr Bharat Vatwani was awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018.
He is truly a lesson in humility and noble intentions.
– Written by Sanjay Thakur
– Edited by Mahrukh