प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने कहा कि उनकी सरकार का उद्देश्य देश के हर जिले में कम से कम एक मेडिकल कॉलेज खोलना है। वह गुरुवार को अखिल भारतीय आयुर्विज्ञान संस्थान (एम्स) ऋषिकेश में 35 राज्यों को 35 प्रेशर स्विंग ऐडसोरप्सन(पीएसए) ऑक्सीजन संयंत्र समर्पित करने के लिए आयोजित एक समारोह में बोल रहे थे।
ये प्लांट पीएम केयर्स फंड के तहत स्थापित किए गए हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि कुछ साल पहले देश में बहुत कम एम्स थे लेकिन अब हर राज्य में एक एम्स खोलने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है।
उन्होंने कहा कि नवरात्रि पर्व के पहले दिन के अवसर पर उत्तराखंड आना उनके लिए सौभाग्य की बात है। पीएम ने कहा कि उन्होंने 20 साल पहले इसी तारीख को गुजरात के सीएम के रूप में शपथ ली थी और कहा कि इस यात्रा की शुरुआत उत्तराखंड के गठन के साथ हुई थी।
उन्होंने प्रसन्नता व्यक्त की कि जिस धरती से योग और आयुर्वेद जैसी जीवनदायिनी शक्तियों को बल मिला, उसी धरती से आज ऑक्सीजन प्लांट समर्पित किए जा रहे हैं। महामारी की अवधि के दौरान अपनी सरकार की उपलब्धियों की सराहना करते हुए, पीएम ने कहा कि महामारी से पहले सिर्फ एक परीक्षण प्रयोगशाला से लगभग 3,000 परीक्षण प्रयोगशालाओं का एक नेटवर्क बनाया गया था। उन्होंने कहा कि भारत ने दुनिया का सबसे बड़ा और सबसे तेज टीकाकरण अभियान लागू किया है।
उन्होंने कहा कि पहले देश में एक दिन में 900 मीट्रिक टन लिक्विड मेडिकल ऑक्सीजन का उत्पादन होता था, लेकिन जैसे-जैसे मांग बढ़ी, भारत ने मेडिकल ऑक्सीजन के उत्पादन में दस गुना से अधिक की वृद्धि की।
पीएम ने यह भी कहा कि कोविड -19 वैक्सीन की लगभग 93 करोड़ खुराक दी गई है और जल्द ही देश 100 करोड़ का आंकड़ा पार कर जाएगा।
पीएम ने कहा कि अब सरकार इस बात का इंतजार नहीं करती कि नागरिक अपनी समस्याएं लेकर उसके पास आएं और फिर कोई कदम उठाएं, लेकिन अब सरकार नागरिकों तक पहुंच रही है।
The year 2019 was a normal year until December when this normalcy was disturbed by the outburst of Corona Virus in Wuhan city of China. The villainous corona virus or Covid 19 has shattered humankind into pieces by killing people all around the globe. Within no time, the virus took a toll on social, cultural, mental, economical and every possible spheres of life. Despite the tragedy, people all over the world has been fighting hard against this unseen enemy with solidarity.
Role of Mass Media in Covid 19 pandemic
With the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic, mass media has been a crucial tool for information generation. Because people were confined to their houses, mass media was the only source to get information about the ongoing situation. People began to watch the news like never before to update themselves with facts. Not just the latest news updates but with an easy access to social media, people are making use of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc for personal and business updates. Even the government agencies interacted with the common people through social media to share information regarding the pandemic.
Negative effects of Media during the pandemic
At the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, people were searching for all sorts of Covid 19 related articles and news and unfortunately a lot of misinformation has been circulated creating panic. Such misinformation and rumours manipulated the minds of the people leading to mental breakdown which further took a toll on the immune system. There has been cases where mentally weak people lost their lives after falling prey to rumours. However, many people were arrested for circulating fake news regarding Covid 19.
Positive effects of Media during the pandemic.
Keeping aside the negative aspect, the role of Mass Media is worthy of appreciation as it has been a constant source of making people aware about the DO’s and DON’T’s. News portals, social media users be it friends, family, health workers, politicians or celebrities encouraged people to stay in their homes, safe and healthy. People were encouraged to exercise and do yoga on everyday basis to boost their immune system. The Quarantine culture started to come in trend and people started embracing lockdown. The effect of Media on culture came to be more profound during the pandemic. We have seen people reviving their long lost hobbies, spending quality time with family which infact inspired many people to look back into their lives, taking a break from their hectic schedule.
But sadly, not everybody could embrace lockdown. This pandemic has been the worst nightmare for the wage workers, the migrant labourers and even the middle class section of the society to an extent. Fortunately, media came as a rescue for these people. When their plight was shown in the media, many influential people, NGOs came forward to help them with food, money, shelter, medical facilities and the like. Covid 19 has been extremely harsh for the elderly people especially with disabilities, people with serious ailments, people who lost their livelihood but people made use of Media platforms to raise funds and distribute money and essential items to the needy. Also in this pandemic, the term ‘Webinar’ has become quite popular. Many notable health workers, scholars and teachers kept in touch with people by conducting webinars to keep a check on each others’ mental health.
It can be seen that the role and impact of Mass Media in this pandemic is never ending. Like the two sides of a coin, mass media also have two sides – positive and negative. We, the people, must always approach the positive side and fight to overcome the virus. Also let us keep in mind what Malcolm said, “When I is replaced by We, illness becomes wellness.”
Mental health is a much talked about topic these days. Earlier people barely talked of it let alone address it as a genuine problem. But this is changing. People are becoming more and more vocal about their mental health issues and sharing their stories over the internet with the hope that it might help someone.
What is mental health?
Mental health is a total of our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act.
How we handle stress, relate to others and make choices also depends on our mental health. But with growing restlessness and fast-moving life, we have neglected our mental health. Neglecting our mental health gives rise to many mental problems. It reflects in your mood, behaviour and thinking.
Not just restlessness and life but there are other factors also that contribute to mental health problems. Including:
Biological factors like genes and or brain chemistry
Life experiences like trauma and stress
Family history of mental health problems.
A person with good mental health will be able to realise their full potential, cope with stresses in life, work productively and make meaningful contribution to the community as whole.
Early signs of mental health problems
Some you might know may be suffering from mental health issues without you being completely unaware about it. Notice the following symptoms and reach out to them if you think they need help.
Eating or sleeping too much or too little
Having low or no energy
Pulling away from people and social activities
Feeling helpless or hopeless
Yelling or fighting
Severe mood swings
Having unexplained aches and pains
There are other symptoms as well but these are the most common ones. It is very crucial to identify these signs and help the one in need or get professional help before the situation gets worse. People who are suffering from mental health problems may also try to harm themselves. Before the situation gets to this, it is advisable to seek help from a professional.
Mental health awareness
The pandemic had a big toll on everyone’s mental health. Apart from the people who died because of the coronavirus, there were hundreds of people who died because of mental health issues. It was also reported that the number of suicides increased during the lockdown.
But our society has since very long considered mental health a myth and has continuously ignored the problem. And the main reason behind this ignorance is the lack of awareness.
More than half of the people still consider depression as being just sad or crying. They are unaware of the fact that a person may look happy on the outside but may be suffering alone on the inside. They still don’t know that depression and anxiety are so much more than just being sad.
This is where awareness comes in. People and celebrities have openly started talking about their struggles with mental health. This has encouraged many people to come forward and talk about their stories. Many helplines have also been set up for people who need to talk to someone or a professional.
You can talk to someone you trust or a loved one. But if you feel like the situation is much worse which can’t be solved by talking out, seek professional help.
It’s not always the person suffering from a mental health problem who has to reach out to help. If you know someone who might be suffering you can also reach out first. Check up on your loved ones once in a while because it might make a lot of difference.
In the end, awareness is important but it is useless if not brought into action and implemented properly.
Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Psychoactive substance use can lead to dependence syndrome – a cluster of behavioral, cognitive, and physiological phenomena that develop after repeated substance use and that typically include a strong desire to take the drug, difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in its use despite harmful consequences, a higher priority given to drug use than to other activities and obligations, increased tolerance, and sometimes a physical withdrawal state.
Difference between substance abuse and addiction
Substance abuse differs from addiction. Many people with substance abuse problems are able to quit or can change their unhealthy behavior. Addiction, on the other hand, is a disease. It means you can’t stop using even when your condition causes you harm.
Addiction doesn’t start overnight. It takes time to build up a tolerance to the drug of choice, to develop cravings for the drug, and to experience problems due to use of illicit substances. Drug abuse often starts first. Though at its worst it can look like addiction, there is one key characteristic that makes drug dependence different.
The first sign is the inability to stop using drugs and alcohol. Someone who struggles with drug abuse may experience a number of problems that plague those with addiction but he may be able to stop using all drugs of abuse without a problem for long periods of time. An addict is unable to stay away from his drug of choice and/or other substances despite a keen desire to quit using.
INSIGHT ON THESUBSTANCES/DRUGS ABUSED
Alcohol
Alcohol affects everyone differently. But if you drink too often, your chances of an injury or accident goes up. Heavy drinking also can cause liver and other health problems or lead to a more serious alcohol disorder.
Heroin
This illegal drug is the natural version of manmade prescription opioid narcotics. Heroin gives you a rush of good feelings at first. But when it wears off, everything slows down.
Cocaine
This drug speeds up your whole body. When you use cocaine, you may talk, move, or think very fast. You may feel happy and full of energy. But your mood may then shift to anger.
Marijuana
A growing number of states have legalized medical uses of marijuana. A handful of states also allow recreational pot. But in most states, it’s still illegal. Marijuana can make you feel silly and laugh for no reason. Or you may feel sleepy and forget things that just happened.
Signals that you may have a problem with substance abuse include if you:
Lack interest in things you used to love
Change your friends a lot
Stop taking care of yourself
Spend more time alone than you used to
Eat more or less than normal
Sleep at odd hours
Have problems at work or with family
Switch quickly from feeling good and bad
In conversation with a marijuana consumer:
1. When did u smoke marijuana for the first time? Or how long have u been smoking?
A-The first time I smoked it was nearing the end of 11th grade. I’ve been smoking since 3 years now (only marijuana) I’ve never touched cigarettes.
2 .Do u think the usage of marijuana is risky?
A- The only “risk” is that you go home and your parents find out*laughs*. Smoking anything is not healthy of course. People with asthma usually try a different method of consuming marijuana preferably edibles. Although I have known people who have asthma but still smoke.
3. When you use the term high, what do u mean, what effects do u feel in your body?
A-In the earlier days when the substance is new to the body, the high is typically stronger You feel the urge to smile and laugh and you feel relaxed. Paranoia is common when you’re not in a safe place or a place you are new to. When the body gets used to it, the high mellows down to just feeling relaxed and happy.
4. Did you experience any health risks, allergies, etc after its consumption?
A- People usually cough a lot when they’re new to it that’s because they’re not used to the taste and the smoke. But other than that I’ve never noticed anything. Paranoia and anxiety on the other hand increases if you’re in this state of mind.
5. What made u want to use the drug in the first place?
A-Ever since my 9th grade I made a pact with myself that I’ll try it after 10th. I always wanted to feel what it’s like and now it’s like a super power I possess that helps me solve everyday problems easily. It’s that “paranoia” which helps in problem solving while you’re high.
6 . Do u regret using it or not?
A- I would regret not doing it. Everyone should try it atleast twice or thrice because most people don’t do it right or don’t feel the “high” in the first time and they give up thinking it’s not what they thought it would be.
7. Marijuana is not yet legalized in most parts of the country, what are your views on the use of this drug?
A-In a country where marijuana grows naturally, it is impossible to stop the consumption and legal or not most of the teenagers are doing it. It’s become a “trend” now. I know people who used to smoke in cigarettes because rolling papers weren’t available in India. All this is very new and still has to grow. I believe the cannabis market in India has a bright future because the number of users are increasing and the market is huge, if legalized the government can make a huge profit while also increasing the quality of the stash.
Hey, It’s normal to feel stressed, nervous, anxious, drained or worried right now.
COVID-19 has most likely changed every aspect of your life- your family dynamics, your eqaution with your friends, your social life, your schooling, your career, your interests, your habits and even you. As you deal with uncertainity and all the emotions that tag along, it’s crucial that along with your physical health, you take care of your mental health as well. Here are some things that I religiously follow and have worked for me. I hope they work for you as well!
You deserve patience, so be patient with yourself
Allow others to help you when you’re struggling. Don’t be shy to ask for help from those you trust and the ones who care about you. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength, strength in acknowledging that you need help and that you’re willing to work towards a better self.
Remind yourself that “It will pass”. Like any other moment, any other journey, any other hurdle in life, this too shall pass, for better. We can’t control what’s happening around us, and with the lack of control and constant bugging of how uncertain the times are, it’s important to remind ourselves we are doing what we can and that’s enough for today.
Self-reflect and see what you feel is important to you right now.
Reach out
Call your close friends and share your feelings with each other. As simple as it sounds, it is therapeutic, and will leave you in a better state than before. This will help lift off the weight from your chest.
Arrange a video call with friends, seeing their faces is as close to physical proximity as you can get right now.
Text a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time, rekindle with them. Maybe reminiscence the times you spent together, memorable moments that you shared, tell them something that remind you of them, go where the conversation takes you.
Take care of your body
Since there is very less to no physical activity. Make an active effort to do any form of exercise that you like: walking, jogging, skipping rope, dancing, Zumba, weights, yoga.
Get your quota of fresh air during the day. Inhale as much oxygen as you can.
Stick to a sleeping routine. In times that are so uncertain and unstable, having a routine can make you feel in control and calm about your surroundings. If you’re having trouble with sleeping, check my article- What should you do if you’re struggling to sleep in quarantine?
Practice deep breathing. Try 4-7-8 breathing if you feel anxious or stressed.
Eat your meals
Since most of us have erratic sleep schedules it’s no secret that we’re skipping out on meals. Try and eat three small meals each day.
Don’t starve yourself. It’s normal to not want to have full meals sometimes. Choose a trusted snack and rely on it whenever you feel hungry but not enough to have a meal.
Stay hydrated. Drink 4-6 cups of water daily to avoid dehydration. Warning signs of dehydration can include dizziness, weakness, low blood pressure, or urine that’s dark in color. (source: Harvard Medical School)
All of us want to be there for our friends when they need us. We want to help them and provide the support in the best way we know. Nonetheless, when a friend tells us about their current struggle with their mental health, it can be challenging to decide what to do or what to say. It is valid to be worried about not making the situation worse or upsetting them by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Here are 3 things that will help you support your friend in a way that’s healthy for the both of you.
Seamless pattern of a crowd of many different people profile heads. Vector background.
1. Listen to them
We are constantly hearing people talk which may lead us to think that listening is easy. However, the goal is to listen and not just hear, to be a good listener, you must be able to put all your thoughts and judgements to one side. Try not to interrupt them while they are taking or rush them into talking. It’s most ideal to have the conversation with them when you do not have something to do soon since this can add to the pressure which could make you want to rush the conversation and make them feel unheard or worse, abandoned. You should also try to stay calm, process the information as and when you receive it.
2. Ask them what they would like from you
Sometimes people just want to be seen, be heard, or just want to get something off their chest. Other times they simply want advice or maybe reassurance. Asking them what they would like from you will help you to support them in the better way and it will ensure they do not leave feeling unsatisfied or unheard. Try to be as honest, patient and kind as possible when responding to your them. In dealing with such situations, you can be most helpful by asking yourself these three questions: ‘What’s best for my friend?’. ‘What would I want the most from my friend if I was in this situation?’ and ‘How would I want to be treated had I been in the same situation?’
3. Check up on them
If you feel mentally stable enough and are able to, keep asking your friend how they are and how they feel, take the time out to candidly listen to what they have to say, keep repeating this cycle. Mental health problems don’t vanish after one conversation. These problems can also be incredibly isolating. Regualrly checking up on your friend is one step closer to making them feel a little less alone, visible and will also serve as a reminder that you care about them.
It is okay if you can’t always be there for the people you love and care about. We all have our own challenges and struggles. If you do not feel up to it, you should signpost them to others who they can talk to like some other close friend, a trusted family member or a mental health organisation that can professionally help.
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