tigma and discrimination attached to mental illness is our society’s least considered health issue. People don’t talk about it because they fear being judged by others.
Many organizations are working for the cause of mental health, but the stigma attached is getting worse and more harmful. It does not allow people to seek help at the right time. People who need support start thinking they are abnormal or deserve it. In India, all these judgments are inherited most of the time.
Ayushi Singh is a software engineer. At 15, she was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. She had a hard time recovering from the illness. While going through this phase, Ayushi realized the importance of mental health in human life. Thus, she decided to help others by developing an artificial intelligence software to support people in need. Let us know more about this influencing personality.
Please tell us more about yourself.
I am Ayushi Singh. I am a software engineer, and I run an artificial engineering company. Apart from that, I work as a writer. From a young age, I have been writing about human psychology. My books have received many awards from the Education Ministry. Writing has led me to public speaking, and I have performed at many schools, college, and international events.
My parents are staunch supporters of education. My grandfather was a Padma Shree Awardee. Thus, the environment of my house has always been educational. My parents were not pleased when I started my literary career as it had fewer opportunities to offer. But I didn’t give up. I kept working in the right direction, and my parents came around when they saw me growing.
Brief us about your literary career! How is it going?
Daily, I’m moving ahead as a writer. Earlier, I used to write motivational books until I realized that the internet is flooded with such books. So, I moved to a different niche- mental health. After my book release, colleges and several platforms invited me to speak about the subject. Renowned educational institutions and international publications awarded my books. After reading the book, many people came to talk about their mental health issues. I helped them out in whatever way I could do it.
At 15, you had Schizophrenia. Could you tell us more about the phase?
During this phase, I used to talk to myself. My parents thought that I was trying to force myself into imagining things. I was eight years old when I started showing these symptoms of Schizophrenia. Often, I would experience pain in the back of my head and backbone.
So, my parents took me to Anthropologists and Neurologists as they were worried sick. Everyone made their assumptions. One doctor said I had Spondylitis, and the other said there was a problem with the blood flow, and some concluded that my nerves were not functioning correctly. My parents tried their best, but they couldn’t understand. Besides, ours is a society where we prefer going to a physician to a psychiatrist. They behave like mental illness does not exist.
Everyone was trying to find a cure for my illness until an NRI doctor diagnosed me with Schizophrenia. The doctor told my parents that I have a strong fluctuation of emotions due to hallucinations. That’s why I face difficulty in connecting with the real world. My city scan reports revealed the truth. The doctor told my parents that I get confused between the real and my imaginary world. This illness is the reason behind my strange behavior.
Post discovery, the proper medication started which included heavy medicines. They would meddle with my brain and mental peace. Sometimes, I used to sleep straight for 72 hours. The whole medication process made me feel very aggressive. My behavior was hard to handle and my nose would start bleeding whenever I went out of control.
The side effects of these medicines led me to spend three months in a state of a coma. My family almost gave up on my recovery after seeing my condition. The doctor asked my parents to remain patient. According to him, my recovery depended on me only. I wouldn’t get better until I realized it was all in my head.
To treat me, the hospital held counseling and therapy sessions combined with exercises and yoga. It was overwhelming for a fifteen-year-old girl to process everything. I had no idea that the regressive things going in my head were nothing but my imagination.
Then health professionals showed me a clear picture of how my family and friends would suffer if I gave up. Gradually, I started accepting my illness. The sense of acceptance cured me.
Schizophrenia is an incurable mental disorder. With the help of medicines, you can only suppress it. If your brain remains alone for a long time, you will start imagining and hallucinating things. I started doing multiple tasks at a time and never left my brain alone to wander. I learned to control my mind, and it pushed my recovery process. Now, I am healed enough to say that my body has shown no symptoms of Schizophrenia.
You said you do multiple tasks to keep your mind engaged. Brief us about them.
My subconscious mind became hyperactive due to Schizophrenia. I could think for hours without feeling exhausted. So to manage this, I started multiple tasking. I turned my weakness into strength as I began exploring diverse fields. I used to read and write books, stories, and articles.
I wrote on mental health and the best thing I did was to talk about my mental health. You would be surprised to know that one out of four people displays symptoms of Schizophrenia, but they don’t dare to talk about it due to their social prestige. I didn’t want to be one among them. So I used to openly talk about it.
However, many people would advise me to conceal it. They’d ask me to be cautious as the world may term me “mad”. But I didn’t care about it. I had found my calling, and I went ahead with it.
To raise awareness, I wrote and published books on mental health. Things changed for me when I started speaking on stage about mental health. I received an overwhelming response from the audience. At present, I’m counseling patients with mental health problems. I only offer therapy, and if I find them too serious, I refer them to a psychiatrist for further treatment. I’m happy to lend help and be the voice of people who have Schizophrenia.
Ayushi Singh mentioned earlier that you are developing a metric system to measure mental health. Where did you get this idea, and how are you building it?
I have been into tech since I was ten years old. While working with different companies, I learned I was more into research and development. I spoke to people suffering from mental health problems during public speaking and counseling sessions. After speaking to them, I realized there is a lack of awareness regarding mental illness. People don’t realize it, and even if they do, they shy away from visiting a psychiatrist.
It has ties with my past too. If I had been diagnosed with Schizophrenia earlier, I wouldn’t have suffered this much. Similarly, people don’t even realize they have mental health problems unless they are deep down in it. So I felt the need for an instrument that could measure mental health. At that time, this idea was born. That’s when I decided to develop a device with the help of artificial intelligence.
In the device, I will put data into the AI for almost five years. After that five years, it will be good enough to calculate and adopt. The data will diagnose how much worse or good a person’s mental health is. This metric system will help everyone, patients, doctors, and their families. I want people to understand the importance of mental health and prioritize it as much as they prioritize their physical health.
A device that can measure mental health seems to be a necessity for our fast-moving world. Until we have the device for measuring mental health, can you share a few tips on how to identify symptoms of mental illness? How does mental illness affect our mind and body?
Human beings are emotional with a coping mechanism. Mostly, we get over our emotions within three months. These emotions can be about anything- personal or professional life; however, if the same memory keeps returning to the person, that is when he is stuck. It starts messing up with the brain’s chemistry. The person will feel low in his mind. Hence, his routine and his body will be affected.
In this case, the person must consult a doctor. Mental health is not only related to the brain but our emotions as well. It’s also related to our physical health in many ways. If the person is depressed, his body will release certain hormones that may disbalance his physical wellness. His sugar levels will start fluctuating, and he will have frequent anxiety. These symptoms could go to any length. It may affect his family as well. So, it’s very valid to say that mental health affects the individual’s body and the people around him.
What do you suggest for people who have a mental illness?
First of all, I will tell them to get proper counseling. And if you feel like you are not healing even after counseling, you should see a professional. You must speak up about your problems. India is a conservative country, but you will find people who understand your emotions. So seek aid from your dear ones. Not speaking about your pain will make it more difficult for you. For people who have Schizophrenia, I’d say first try to introspect and understand that this is the reality. If you cannot take your mind off your thoughts, try replacing them with other tasks.
Thank you so much for putting light on such an important topic. Our readers will indeed look forward to the launch of this mental health device. Before we conclude, would you like to share a piece of advice or lesson with our readers?
Mental health is equally important. If something is eating you from inside, then don’t curb it. First, learn to share your pain with others. If you have some issues, then see a doctor. Go for a check-up. It’s okay to be mentally ill, but it’s not okay to ignore it. First, accept your condition, then treat yourself.
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